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BAB EL HADID (CAIRO STATION) (THE IRON GATE)

A day in the life of workers at Cairo train station. Qinawa is a crippled newspaper salesman who is not quite sane. He lusts for Hanouma, a busty outgoing woman who sells soda. As Qinawa's desires for Hanouma increase, so do the various tensions among the workers at the station. Chahine's film is firmly rooted in Italian Neorealism and benefits from this style immensely. Social observations are clearly evident in this masterpiece of African cinema. I fidn it hard to believe it's actually made in the 50's. The social critiques are well woven into the story. The setting of central station is well chosen to peek thru the different walks of life. The characters are very representative and well-developed. At the same time very entertaining.

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Amr Diab

Amr Diab remains the king of Arabic pop after three decades is down to him casting a wider net when it comes to inspiration.Amr is homed to modern Egyptian musical traditions, and his muse always pointed to the Mediterranean.This trademark approach is all over his new album, Meaddy El Nass (roughly translated to Let People Be). The album, his 31st release, is another winning mix of effervescent pop, Arabic folk and ballads that are mostly underscored with healthy dose of flamenco music. Amr music has also influenced in the Bollywood music industry, 

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Lawrence of Arabia - 1962

I feel as if Lawrence of Arabia still remains a splendid epic in the history of filmmaking. Despite its outrageous runtime of 4 hours, the film showcases cinematography and special effects more advanced than technologicallyenhanced recent releases. The desert scenes and horseback battles are spectacular to watch and the dialogue is so well written it proves truly ahead of its time. It's portrayal of the Arab culture is not offensive or stereotypical which can't be said for most films released after 9/11. I'm watching this now for the first time and enjoyed it immensely and that says a lot about the quality of the film.

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MOVIE - PARADISE NOW

The attempt in displaying what it passes for the head of a Palestinian terrorist, without transforms it into a monster and fanatic it is more than what praiseworthy, after all, although the apparent abnormality, the men bombs, that are sacrificed in attempted against, do not pass of common people, that until carrying out scenes that they shock the world, incognitos pass, living normally. 

My brother thought this is a really well done movie that shows the despair and frustration than can lead to suicide bombers. As the story unfolds you hope the guys change their minds and the ending leaves you to wonder. This does not glorify or justify suicide bombers but it does put a human face on it and you see that families, friends and others can make choices hard.

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WADJDA- reveiw

Writer-director Haifaa Al-Mansour has produced a film in a country with no film industry to speak of. Add that she is female in a community where women are forbidden to publicly interact with unrelated men. Wadjda is fascinating because it does two things brilliantly. One, it offers a gripping narrative of a captivating character. Secondly it also serves as a document of Saudi society. The director even fashions a climactic Koran recital contest as an edge of your eat nail biter. We get an expert's view from the inside. The presentation of culture was a real eye opener for this critic. The strict moral codes might be described as oppressive, yet the milieu never reads that way. Joyful, effervescent and uplifting, this is about the triumph of the human spirit. How one rebellious little girl deals with her innocent desire to simply own a bike. 

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Dj Khaled’s and his passion

Dj Khaled’s snapchat stories became a success story and a reality show for him, always being positive and showing his acoplmioshments and goals. Always being “appreciative”, he continues to send positive messages through social media. Dj Khaled is a famous American record producer and entrepreneur his original name is Khaled Mohamed Khaled. He’s always giving a glimpse into fatherhood, taking you into his meetings and sharing the keys to success, or cruising in his car to preview tracks, showing fan love and walking followers through a day in the life.

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Thartharah fawqa al-Nil (A drift on the Nile)

  A drift on the Nile describes the lives of the characters that populate it, especially civil servant Anis Zaki. They are adrift in an Egypt that allows only limited outlets political, cultural, sexual refusingto take anything too seriously. And for most of the novel they are literally adrift on the Nile, as much of the action (or inaction) takes place aboard Anis' houseboat.  This film is a dark look at a troubled society. It's effectively presented, though the teasing banter can get to be a bit wearisome, and the book seems at times more sketch than novel. Certainly, Mahfouz displays his considerable range with this book, very different from many of his others, and bits are excellent. Of some interest, if not entirely a success.

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Racism in the Arab World

I think Arab Supremacy is not talked about enough and it is something I feel strongly about. Racism in Arab countries against South Asians and East Asians, as well as black people is seen as common and expected. It is normal for staff to treat customers who aren’t white or Arab themselves poorly, and not to mention the horrific treatment of the domestic workers and construction workers, who are completely ignored and basically have very little rights once they start working for Arab families. Racism in Arab countries is swept under the rug and tolerated. Arabs adopt a mentality similar to white people and develop superiority complexes, this has a lot to do with their skin colour, as anti blackness is rampant in Arab culture as well. It is so common to see blatant racism from Arabs openly on twitter and there seems to be little to no backlash. Why are they excused from their racist views?   There are documentaries made about racism in Arab countries, Lebanon being infamous for it’s racism as well as the Khaleeji states (U.A.E, Qatar, Bahrain) whose ugly truths are hidden behind their attempts to constantly show off their country as luxurious resorts. White people visiting these countries (especially Dubai) will LOVE the way they are treated, because they come only second to Arabs and retain their white privilege. However, people with more melanin (especially Asians) will find their situations are not the same. 

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Amal Clooney - British-Lebanese Successful Women

Amal Clooney is an astonishing individual with many accomplishments from being a humanitarian to a high profile lawyer. Clooney has used it to raise awareness of human-rights abuses taking place around the globe, proving to the world that she is a lawyer first and a celebrity second. Clooney and her family fled to London in 1982 during the violent civil war in Lebanon. Despite the difficulties that came with being a refugee in a new country, she flourished in the UK and was an ambitious and talented student. Throughout her career, Clooney has taken on many notable cases, including work to recognize the Armenian genocide, a case to save a temple on the Cambodian-Thai border. Amal Clooney continues to advocate for all right reasons and work within the UN. 

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Belly Dancing in Middle East

Belly dance was originally only done by women for other women, men were not present and it was not done in “public”. It was a dance done at parties when the women would be together in one place and the men would be together in a another area. Belly dance has only been called “belly dance” in the last century and it was coined by western culture to entice people to go see it. (This was when seeing a woman’s ankle or elbow was considered extreme.) Belly dance is known by different names depending which culture it is in (Egyptian, Turkish, Lebanese etc) such as Raqs Baladi, Raqs Sharki, Oriental etc. When it comes to costuming, the outfits you’re thinking of are the cabaret-style costumes introduced by Hollywood only in the last 50 years or so. Traditional dancing costumes would cover from ankle to neck and was usually long sleeved. There would be layers and something to tighten them up at the hips. Many middle-eastern dancers will now wear cabaret-style costuming but it is usually only in more touristy areas and it is generally not looked upon favorably by the locals. Dancing in the middle east is not considered ‘sinful’ in the context you are presenting it, dancing (again women together separate from men together) was a celebration, not something to be ashamed of. Dancing being sinful is an invention of the puritans pertaining to Christian religions in the last couple hundred years

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Belly Dancing in Middle East

Belly dance was originally only done by women for other women, men were not present and it was not done in "public". It was a dance done at parties when the women would be together in one place and the men would be together in a another area. Belly dance has only been called "belly dance" in the last century and it was coined by western culture to entice people to go see it. (This was when seeing a woman's ankle or elbow was considered extreme.) Belly dance is known by different names depending which culture it is in (Egyptian, Turkish, Lebanese etc) such as Raqs Baladi, Raqs Sharki, Oriental etc. When it comes to costuming, the outfits you're thinking of are the cabaret-style costumes introduced by Hollywood only in the last 50 years or so. Traditional dancing costumes would cover from ankle to neck and was usually long sleeved. There would be layers and something to tighten them up at the hips. Many middle-eastern dancers will now wear cabaret-style costuming but it is usually only in more touristy areas and it is generally not looked upon favorably by the locals. Dancing in the middle east is not considered 'sinful' in the context you are presenting it, dancing (again women together separate from men together) was a celebration, not something to be ashamed of. Dancing being sinful is an invention of the puritans pertaining to Christian religions in the last couple hundred years

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Saad Lamjarred - Moroccan Singer

This Moroccan artist Saad Lamjarred has released a music video on Youtube which has been viewed a 100 million times since its release on May 2015. “Lm3allem” is a 50s inspired clip meaning Boss. It’s a happy number with a catchy tune which will make you smile, and we love the aesthetics. One cool aspect of his video is he featured his very own father who is also a singer, Bachir Abdou, in the project as a way to show his appreciation for all the support he has provided towards his son’s career. The video has 50′s inspired moroccan fashion.  -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fwf45pIAtM

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Nancy Ajram the biggest pop stars of the new millennium.

Nancy Ajram, one stunning pop star from Lebanon. She is a singer and recording artist.  She had sold over 30 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling Middle Eastern music artists. One of my favorite single by Nancy is Ah W Noss (English: Yes, I Mean It). Ah W Noss is the fourth studio album and it was released on April 14, 2004 by Relax-In and Megastar Records. Ah W Noss received positive reviews from music critics, The lead single, "Ah W Noss", went on to achieve massive airplay and video time on the major music channels, commanding the top spot for several weeks. The album was a big hit, on the strength of the lead single. Summer 2004 saw Ajram launch a major world tour on the strength of her new single. With the record, Ajram received several awards, including Murex d'Or, Arabian Music Award and Dear Guest Award. In late 2004, Ajram became the Middle Eastern face of Coca-Cola, which opened a whole new promotional phase for the young starlet. Ajram was also chosen by Newsweek as one of the most influential people in the Arab world in May 2005. The album was reissued in 2006, packaged with both audio and visual discs and a different artwork.

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OMAR - LOVE

Omar's main source of happiness before his imprisonment was Nadia (Leem Lubany), the younger sister of Tarek, the leader of their little street gang. Omar and Nadia always met secretly, passing notes to one another when they think no one is looking. They make tentative plans to get married, shyly looking at a one-roomed apartment together, unable to say the words "the bed can go here" without blushing. They have to keep their relationship a secret because their world is so traditional, and they are both so young. There is a fondness, affection and teasing humor in their dynamic that is heart-rending and sweet, adolescent and optimistic, and while it is obviously doomed, you don't know from where the doom will come. As Omar's situation becomes more and more dangerous, and as Omar's reputation becomes tarnished, Nadia starts to fear for her life. She wonders if it's true what is being whispered in the alleyways of her neighborhood. If Omar is collaborating with the Israelis then he is not the man she thought he was. Love is not easy in the best of times, but in the worst of times it is flat-out dangerous. Being a warrior requires hardness and emotional armor. Omar is not hard. He is open and vulnerable, and those qualities are his very best. He is kind, funny, easygoing, and able to give himself over to love fully. It's not an overstatement to suggest that these are the qualities that make him a credit to the human race and its positive potential. Without those qualities, we are all doomed. But such openness cannot be allowed to flourish in a treacherous war-torn atmosphere where betrayal is required. Betrayal is the theme of the film. Omar is forced to betray his political convictions. Nadia struggles with betrayal as well as her loyalties start to shift.

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A film with a very strong title Feminism Inshallah: A History Of Arab Feminist Created by Feriel, a filmmaker and author. The film focused on Muslims women struggles in the Arab world. Women of the Arab world emancipation is often portrayed stereotypically as a showdown between Western and Islamic values, but Arab feminism has existed for more than a century. This groundbreaking documentary traces the foundations of Arab feminist movements from the colonial era to the present. It is impressive how much is accomplished in this one hour film, which covers foundational colonial-era thinkers such as Tahar Haddad in Tunisia and Qasim Amin in Egypt, turning points such as Hoda Shaarawi’s removal of her veil in the early 1920s, major state-sponsored legal and cultural changes, and more recent movements on Facebook, especially those focused on freedom over one’s body and one’s sexuality. (Middle East News , 2015). The main challenge a film covering such a broad scope faces is choosing its focus and conveying that choice clearly. The film covered both information about feminist movements themselves — especially in Egypt and Tunisia, and in older eras.

I think the history of Middle Eastern feminism is fascinating, with its modern history emerging between 1900 and 1940 through various women’s movements. Women from the Middle East share a common cultural and even political identity, regardless of nationality, language and religion. Like everywhere, women’s movements in the Middle East are also shaped by the specific political situation and the reaction of men to a woman’s role within social and political environs. one big generalization is that the reaction of men in the Middle East is and has been more or less positive; as long as women are within segregated organizations that are engaged in charity and / or support activism in favor of the nationalist struggles. Situations have tended to flare up when women demanded more public participation in mainstream politics. 

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Cinema In The Arab World - Shafirun Alam

The first ever Arab film production took place in Alexandria, Egypt in 1896. Since then, Arab Cinema World has continuously developed from being conservative to more traditionalistic. There were many stereotypes, political and economic suffering in the Arab World that came with consequences which had effects on the Arab Cinema World. Nonetheless, The Arab Cinema industry still manage to continue to boom especially in Egypt. Regardless of all the ups and downs in Middle East countries such as Egypt, Morocco or the Gulf area the industry was/is still flourishing, with commercial films appreciated by the local audience, while its saddening that other Arab countries are having trouble to find their place such as Syria, Jordan or Palestine, where movies are almost absent on the screen until now.

Arab Cinema has a golden age where various female actors has made successful outcomes and breaking stereotypes. Some of the successors from the industry are Aziza Amir, Mary Queeny, Laila Mourad, Om Khaltoum, Leila Fwazi and more. It is astonishing that the new generation of directors in the Arab World have been aiming to be more confident, more free and more expressive in their productions. Arab movies don’t only speak of immigration, revolution, terrorism and women’s empowerment but handle more themes of everyday life and social facts. There is also this renaissance through the last Arab films in international festivals. It is amazing how much progress Arab Cinema World has made.