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Gleanings:
Two films from Islamic countries
K. S. Sivakumaran
The two
international films chosen to review are from Turkey and Iran.
Let's take the Turkish film first. Huseyin Karbey has directed 'My
Marlon and Brando' (nothing to do with the name of the late mega actor).
The languages spoken in the film are Turkish and English. One must
congratulate the cinematographer A Emre Tanyildiz for the excellent
images taking us into a journey into various places in the Western part
of Asia. The main actress buxom Ayca Damgaci is excellent in portraying
a daring woman in search of her lover amidst turbulent times. The film
may be described as a road movie. We understand that the film was based
on a true story.
A young Turkish actress on the Istanbul (capital of Turkey) stage has
a lover in Northern Iraq occupied by the U.S. forces. The fact that he
is a Kurd named Hama Ali makes the problem more difficult. There is a
communication barrier. (There is a longstanding dissension among the
different sects in Turkey). The separation between is lessened however
through video communication. Yes, he sends love letters filmed in his
handy camera.
The letters communicate two things: his tender affection for her
almost poetic; and the violence that takes place in Iraq. This man too
is actor.
That's how the players got connected. Also included in his video
presentation are clippings from comic scenes in which he has starred.
In the meantime the lovelorn lady is lonely in Istanbul. She longs to
reunite with her soul mate. So she sets on a journey to Iraq. And we go
with her to places circumventing odds that she encounters in a seized
zone in getting clearance in many checkpoints. That is thrilling indeed
even though such encounters are not uncommon in our own soil.
I liked the film also for its backdrop and my getting into a peep
into areas bordering the West Asia.
The other film is from Iran and the language spoken is Persian. The
title: 'Song of Sparrows'. And the Director is of course, the well known
Majid Majidi. This film is an expose of social pressures and individual
predicament and therefore realistic.
There is a proletarian worker named Karim who works on an ostrich
farm. He has a loving family and he lives decently managing with a
little income he earns. But one day he is discharged from work as one of
the ostriches runs away from the farm.
Karim is held responsible for the unexpected event. His elder
daughter in the meantime has her hearing aid damaged. So he goes to the
city to get it repaired. In the city there are many motorcycle taxis
that transport goods. Karim is mistaken for such a driver.
Oh what a mess he is involved. It's both comic and tragic situations
of unexpected happenings and that makes us angry and empathetic. Angry
because, we don't approve the injustice meted out to him by senseless
people whom he is confronted with. Empathy is for such people like Karim
and sympathy for Karim himself.
But he finds his new job carrying goods in his vehicle, even though
knowledgeably unethical (because the merchants are all not honest) he
becomes prosperous. The family is wondering how he earns a lot of money.
But man proposes and God disposes.
Karim due to an accident is bed ridden. The sole bread earner is
helpless now. Never say die. The family members do their dues earning in
small ways. Life goes on in a positive manner. Karim too transforms
himself in mind attitude in cherishing his temporarily forgotten values.
To be honest with you I didn't understand why the sparrow is treated
as a symbol in the film. I enjoyed the film.
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