Cairo Station (Egypt, 1958)

To say “Cairo Station” is a best Egyptian film will be inappropriate for me, since I haven’t seen many Egyptian movies. But, considering on how this film is made, I doubt if any other film from the Arab countries (except Iran) can beat “Cairo Station”. Directed and acted by Youssef Chahine. This film went on to represent Egypt’ first entry to Oscars, but failed to win in the foreign film category. It was also strange to see that a film like this was not even nominated to the top five in the Academy Awards.

Enough of flowering words let us get into the film. As the name suggests, the film is set in the Cairo railway station. There are multiple plots in the film, but all revolves around an abandon man Qinawi, who works as a newspaper seller in the station. He is crippled and couldn’t talk cohesively. In his daily life, he tends to see people from different walks of life, especially women. He keeps on observing their small movements and become obsessed to have one or at least develops a deep liking towards the opposite sex, as we see in the opening of the film his shed (home) is filled with pictures of half-nude women. 

Qinawi tries to develop a relationship with Hanouma, cold-drink vendor. He proposes to her, but she doesn’t take him seriously. We see different facets of the buzzing railway station and the film touches them- workers problem to start union, hardships of the platform vendors, Qinawi sees the agony of a girl who at the station to say her final good-bye to her love. In the midst of all this Qinawi makes a desperate attempt to get hold of Hanouma and marry her. Did he succeed is the film?

All events happen in one day. Cinematography and editing go hand-in-hand to reflect the mind of Qinawi. Qinawi (Youssef Chahine, the director) has hardly a page or two of dialogue.

The later part of the film becomes Hitchcokian once the plot is set. Alfred Hitchcock’ Psycho came to my mind while seeing this film, but the irony is this Egyptian film was released in 1958 before Psycho (1960).

Fan Made Trailer



Country Series – This will feature countries from alphabetical order, A to Z. One film from a country will be written on a weekly basis. Next in the series will be from F...

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Satin Rouge ( Tunisia - 2002 )

Director : Raja Amari | Starring : Haim Abbas, Maher Kamoun | Country : Tunisia\France : | Genre : Drama | Language : Arabic | Year : 2002

With absolutely no back ground score, Satin Rouge is almost like the same making of Blue is the warmest color. Released in 2002, some ten year before Blue, is directed by Raja Amiri, who is from Tunisia. Abdullatif, director of Blue is also a Tunisian, does it answer the similar style of making or is it a French connection. Saton Rouge is made by France & Tunisia productions.

Plot

Lilia ( Haim Abbas ), a widower in a conservative family is living with her daughter, Salma (Hend El Fahem). Lilia, always keeps an eye on her teenage daughter, so that she doesn't go beyond her reach. The opening scene gives us the hint of Lilia dancing abilities as she dances before the mirror admiring her movements while doing the house chores. 

Lilia ( Haim Abbas )

One night, when her daughter fails to return from party, In search of Salma, Lilia walks into a club and befriends a cabaret dancer Folla (Monia Hichri). Lilia, again goes back to the club, but this time intentionally. By seeing her natural dancing charm, Folla persuades Lilia to take cabaret dancing; reluctant Lilia starts to perform in the club, but without her daughter and conservative neighbor’ knowledge. Did the secret got open is the story. ?

My Take

The Director

Going by the name I thought the director is a guy, but it turned out to be women. When I say cabaret, it's not what we see in old Indian films or as we know generally. It's belly dancing, which is widely popular in the Arab countries.

The story revolves around a small group. At one stage, it becomes a love-triangle, I won't say it shocked me, but then it surprised me as I thought "ahhh.... this can happen in the Arab culture too ?". Without knowing the Tunisian culture thoroughly it is wrong to compare it with some Arab countries which imposes strict laws for women. May be I was surprised cause I watched this film with that "strict law” mindset.

The dancing's are some 20 - 25 minutes of the screen time, so even though there is no background score, the music in the dancing fills the void.

I think feminism is the central theme of this film, which is universal. Although the later part of the film deviates from this central theme by a love-triangle, it just circles back and ends in emphasizing it.

Trailer

Further Links

www.imdb.com/title/tt0300453/

Johnny Mad Dog ( Liberia - 2008 )

Language : English | Country : Liberia | Director : Jean Stephane Sauvaire

Starring : Christopher Minie, Daisy Victoria Vandy, Casque bleu | Year :  2008

History- When the slave trade was abolished in North America some blacks tried to return back to their roots in Africa, but instead they found a new country, Liberia, in the west of Africa. With US supported government in place, things were quiet for some decades, but opposition grew against Americo-Liberian leadership.

In 1980, rebel forces under the leadership of Charles Taylor led a coup and toppled the government, this led to First Liberian Civil War. Later in 1999, Charles Taylor government was defeated by the rebel forces supported by Sierra Leone, Guinea (who were indirectly supported by USA); this is termed as Second Liberian Civil War. For more info visit the link.

Johnny Mad Dog ( Christopher )

Don’t get surprised by the poster- yes, if you had seen the Tamil film Mariyan, this guy will be familiar to you. His name is Christopher Minie and he is the Mad Dog in this film. This film depicts the role of child soldiers in the war.

 Plot

Johnny calls himself Mad Dog who is around 16 to 18 years old leads a small group of boys. He is the commander of the group lead by a grown-up general Never Die, who lures these boys to war promising money. This is at the end of the Second Liberian Civil war, these rebel groups march into the about to be collapsed capital city. The kids go on rampage without any sense of remorse or respect. Death is always next door and they seldom care about others, in fact they don’t even care about themselves. 

General Never Die, takes only kids, these kids are forced to kill their parents, so that the guilt keeps them intact to war. Drugs, rape, torture is their everyday life in war. There is another story which is told simultaneously, a school going girl Laokale, city-bred, is forced to take his amputee father to the UN refugee camp as he is shot. She loses his brother when they stumble upon the Mad Dog group. 

The war ends, but Johnny gets nothing from his general, he was hoping for a big money, but is duped. Laokale meets Johnny in the camp, she enquires about her brother, but Johnny denies seeing him. She confronts Johnny and assaults him. The movie ends.

Laokale taking his father to hospital

Deceiving the kids

Superstition, drugs, trickery is used to lure the kids into the fighting, such as sacrifice of animals, fire dancing, calling of spirit by applying coke on the forehead ( There is scene in the Mariyan ), shooting the kids with empty-cartages to make believe them that they are invincible. 

The Will of A Child Soldier

The usual prayer to the dead, like “Rest in peace.. father.. son.. ghost.. amen”. But the kids have they Will song, see this video.

The language spoken is English, but of a different dialect, West African Pidgin English

Ending

The ending is very open- it ends when Laokale hits Johnny assuming that he killed her brother. It is left to the viewer - whether she believed Johnny or killed him. But one is for sure that the kids who got indulged in war were exploited by generals like Never Die and immoral governments. 









Not recommended for leisurely weekend viewing.

Trailer

Xala (1975) (Senegal)

Satirical humour from one of the pioneer of African film fraternity. OUSMANE SEMBENE.

 

As written before, Filmbulb has already travelled to Africa. It’s now in the western tip of Africa, Senegal. The film named is Xala, released in 1975 by one of the pioneer of African film fraternity, Ousmane Sembene.  The other African film I (most of us) has seen is “The Gods Must Be Crazy” series, which was a comedy with innocence. Xala is a political comedy, pieces of satire. Some facts, Senegal got independence from France in 1960, 90% of its population follow Islam.  Its official language is French, followed by Wolof an African language.

Ousmane Sembene

As said earlier, it’s a political humour. El Hadji is a business man, with strong political contacts. He and his fellow businessmen oust the French men from the Chamber of Commerce, which is presented in a very satirical way of taking the French king and queen busts and keeping it out of the chamber office, even the name of the Frenchmen is Dupont-Durrand! With the chamber in the hands of the native Senegalese, who is bribed by the Frenchmen, El Hadji with a National Food Money, does a scam and buys his 3^rd wife. Yes he buys a woman as his wife, he is polygamous. This is followed by a lavish wedding ceremony, attended by both his wives! That night he is unable to perform the usually ritual, the next morning his mother-in-law discovers it and tells its Xala, which is someone has cursed with impotency on him. The rest of the story is to get rid of Xala.

El Hadji, losses his business, wives, finally comes to know Xala was performed by a beggar who was fouled by El Hadji earlier. The solution to get rid of it even becomes hard as beggars would like to spit on him.!!

The background score is good, but the same score or song is repeated again and again, would have been much better if an array of scores are used. The acting in some places by the extras looks very ordinary and amateurish. Might be the Africa was not mature of the cinema then, but the main lead fits to the bill.

Some of the scenes show the pretentious natures of how people get carried away by the western culture (read as French culture here). Like El Hadji drinks only Evian water, he likes to be in the Air Condition always, says he doesn’t go to Spain as there are Negros, his car driver uses Evian water to clean the car! (Not sure if the French use Evian to clean the car) El Hadji and his people in the chamber speaks only French, he doesn’t like when his daughter speaks Wolof. The film is not slow, but sometimes, what I felt is the music kills you.  The score is repetitive; otherwise it’s a brilliant film.

Coming Up...

Its Africa and Australia on the way...>>

After crossing and cutting across the globe, it seems Filmbulb have'nt gone into the Africa and Australia. So by next week or in coming days, Filmbulb has specific movies focused from Africa and Australia. So expect some new faces and unknown movies. Filmbulb always gets in to unknown and rare teritories. Its hard to find movies from these region, but with the zeal of discovering the world cinema, Filmbulb will travel the path.