This week a Saudi film was acclaimed at a European film festival. It might not have won a prize but it was there; it attracted viewers and gave us hope that perhaps more of the same would follow. And then, as a result of increased practice and greater vision, we will be able to send our voices across borders. The film was “Women Without Shadows” and the director was Haifa Mansour. We must not forget the uproar it caused in the Kingdom when it was shown privately at the French Consulate in Jeddah. Predictable angry reactions and condemnations were forthcoming — by those among us who hate to see our problems exposed (that means admitting that we have problems) and hate even more that women have taken a role in exposing them.
Haifa’s was not the only Saudi film at the festival; in fact there were two others. One was “Shadows of Silence” by Abdullah Al-Meheisan who won an award for one of his short films in Cairo in the 1970s. The third Saudi entry was a short documentary entitled “The Last Piece” by Muhamad BaZeid. Of course we would not have heard about any of these films had they not been shown outside Saudi Arabia. Except for Haifa, people do not know that there are people who are interested in creating a Saudi cinema. My only fear for Saudi cinema is that it will be hijacked by the same people who hijacked the TV music channels and made them into bad copies of Western ones.
In another corner of the world of art, many papers these days are focusing on women writers from Saudi Arabia; there is huge interest in what these women have to say and the number of books they have written has increased. The books are widely read both inside and outside the Kingdom. The success of the novel “Girls of Riyadh” is an indication of how Saudis need to read more about themselves and about what is happening in their society — in a simple, straightforward and open manner rather than in a style that attempts to conceal the truth.
A friend who read the book said that it reminded her of herself and her friends, of times and experiences they had lived through. To her, it did not matter what form the book was in or if it were a literary masterpiece. What mattered to her — and to many others — was that it showed a real world in which real people live, people she knew and understood. Some of the books have a long way to go in terms of artistry and technique but they have overcome their supposed shortcomings because of the nature of their subjects.
Saudi films, on the other hand, have just crossed the threshold but there is great hope that they will continue developing and catch up with the world. What remains is for Saudis to see films by — and to read books by — their fellow Saudis. The existing control over books and movies should fade away; after all, the audience cannot be fooled and can judge for itself whether the products are good. It is only fair that Saudis should see what other Saudis are producing in terms of books and films. Don’t forget how people originally reacted to the television comedy “Tash Ma Tash” and the role it is now playing in presenting social issues. It too may have its limitations but it is an important first step.
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THE streets in Jeddah are crowded with drivers of all kinds — reckless drivers, bad drivers, careless drivers, daredevil drivers and even a few careful ones. But something is about to happen that will make the streets far worse than ever. You may be surprised to learn that the municipality has arranged for the big on-the-street video screens to carry the Saudi World Cup games live to those in the streets — mainly drivers of course.
A story in a Saudi paper quotes an official at the municipality saying that the idea was implemented in Riyadh and now its time has come in the Western province. The story goes on to say that this step by the municipality and the companies that rent the screens will “spread national pride and awareness.”
I wonder if anyone has given a thought to the effects this decision will have. Just imagine people’s behavior during a tense moment in a football match and try to think what will happen if the spectators are driving cars on our streets. When players are racing down the field to score a goal, where will drivers be looking — at the car in front of them, at the red light or at the screen? Those who made the decision were certainly not thinking of possible problems. For most of us, I would recommend staying at home when the Saudi team is playing. Of course, I wish our team the best of luck and hope to see them come out on top — but it is surely safer to watch them at home instead of on outdoor screens.
