Wednesday 2 November 2016

Thursday Movie Picks: Middle Eastern Language Movies


This week my picks all have a theme, its all about the women. I did want to pick Caramel but I had a feeling I already picked it for another theme. And Wedding Doll was a close pick but I went these three brilliant films.

Don't forget to check out where it all started on Wandering Through the Shelves.
  
Zero Motivation
An Israeli comedy about military service, particularly focusing on three women. Zohar, just trying to get through her service with as little enthusiasm as possible, Daffi, who just wants to move to a better base in Tel Aviv and Rama, who hopes to make the military a career. It is very funny in places despite some of the more serious and sinister stories. It’s a gem that I saw the trailer of years ago but it never got a UK release, but the powers that be (help from a family member) I was able to see it with very bad subtitles, but it was worth it.
Where Do We Go Now?
 Rather than choosing Caramel (as I think I chose it for something else) I’ve gone for Nadine Labaki’s second feature about a town divided because of religion. The women are the driving force in this film, trying to unite then distract then unite the men of the town, who are being ridiculous. Outside the town is an actual mind field, reminding us that war is on people’s doorsteps, with only a few people venturing in and out. The film begins with the women doing a dance at a funeral, which is beautiful but filled with sadness and ends with a death and the women making the men understand what they have to do. It’s a brilliant film which makes it worse that Labaki hasn’t made a feature since. Where is she?
Dégradé
 I saw this last year at the LFF along with Wedding Doll, but I went with this film as it features a group of women trapped in a hair salon after shooting begins in the street outside. They shut the shop and barricade themselves. It is a wonderfully diverse group of women all with their secrets and problems. There are of course arguments and fighting but through it all and despite their differences, they band together.