Wednesday, 4/9/97
‘Cinearabic’ explores diversity, presents Arab cinematic
history
Movies challenge stereotypes presented in Western media
By Ricky Herzog
Daily Bruin Contributor
Foreign films are more than French or Spanish movies with
cryptic themes and fuzzy subtitles. Often they deal with other
cultures and clear plots, and the Film and Television Archive
proves this with their currently running showcase "Cinearabic," a
collection of 21 films from the Arab world.
The series spans the entire existence of Arab film production,
containing films from the 1930s through the 1990s. As archive
public affairs assistant Elisabeth Greenbaum explains, it is the
first series of its kind in Los Angeles and provides a rarely seen
look at both classic and modern Arab films.
"We had an opportunity to really explore Arab cinema and show
that this is a really diverse community and has a long cinematic
history," Greenbaum says. "In particular Egyptian cinema, which has
been around almost as long as cinema here in the United States.
This is opening a door on a lot of great films from the ’30s right
through the ’90s."
The fact that the series shows films spanning seven decades
makes it a very diverse offering of movies. "Cinearabic" also
achieves diversity through showcasing both well-known and more
obscure films.
"We tried to get as many of the countries in the Arab world as
possible," Greenbaum says. "We wanted to get a broad picture of
what’s going on in that part of the world and how it is reflected
in cinema."
Because the films come from a wide array of countries, the
series allows a more well-rounded look at Arab cultures. Films such
as these can be the perfect way to learn more about countries of
which some students may have little knowledge.
"Watching films from another culture is a really good way to get
acquainted with that culture," UCLA Film and Television Archive
programming coordinator David Pendleton says. "I think it’s the
second best way to learn about the country behind traveling there.
Oftentimes you can get more out of watching fictional films created
by Arabic filmmakers than by watching some sort of National
Geographic documentary on the country."
The films are an important look at the art produced by the
various Arab countries. They also serve as an important look into
the everyday lives of the people behind these countries who are
often the subject of numerous media reports.
"I think the films from Lebanon, Syria and Palestine are
especially important because of all the media coverage of the
current events taking place in these countries," Pendleton says.
"It behooves people to know about that part of the world,
especially Syria because it is somewhat demonized by the American
media. The films allow you to see that people are there making art
and living their daily lives like all of us."
A look behind media portrayal offers a unusually non-Western
take on issues in the Arab world. Despite the fact that these films
focus on people of different cultures with different perspectives,
Greenbaum is not worried about audiences relating to these films.
She is a bit apprehensive, however, about the films’ subtitles.
"People shouldn’t be so afraid of subtitles," Greenbaum says.
"These films are every bit as good as anything that has come out of
Hollywood in the past 50 years. Americans in general have a
tendency to look at the Arab world as this monolithic, single-face,
single-issue area and that’s absolutely not the way it is. They
show how things affect very ordinary people in everyday ways."
The films expose audiences to new ideas about old issues. But
they also deal with universal themes that anyone can relate to,
regardless of cultural background or personal bias.
"Culturally, the films are going to be different because they
are reflecting a different culture," Greenbaum says. "But the
stories are universal. Love stories are universal. Growing up and
not knowing who you are and rediscovering your roots, that’s
universal. Having a fight with the tax man or the government, and
just trying to survive in a world where the economy is falling
apart — these are things that everyone can relate to."
"And that’s one of the great things about students having access
to this on campus. They can come see these films that are in
another language that take place in a much different part of the
world and see reflections of their own lives."
FILM: The "Cinearabic" film series is currently screening
through April 22 at UCLA’s James Bridges Theater (formerly Melnitz
Theater).