I am
not a professional movie critic, but like many who follow and admire cinema, we
can make a judgment on the storyline, the acting and directing. In this regard
I will be tackling The Citizen, but as an input to a subject of the highest
importance, especially in this period. The film shows Khaled AlNabawy as
the main character, and is directed by Sam Kadi, in his first long film, with
the participation of the American third row actor William Atherton. The film tells
the story of a Lebanese citizen who traveled to the United States of America,
one day before September 2001 explosions, and filed a request for immigration
as a start for a new life. Unwarily the events catch him and he is regarded
terrorist in the eyes of the US authorities. The film is a typical flat
stereotype, dimensionless personalities, evils are evil because they are
American, and the goods are good simply because they are Arab, simply, it is no
more than an Arab film spoken in English. Events and personalities are merely
black and white, reminder of tens of films depicting the infidels as
irreverent, speaking aloud, crazy, wearing colored costumes, while the
believers are calm, modest, decent, and wise. Also typical of films that show
the Jews as miser, malicious with round noses, usually fooled as done by Naji
Atta-Allah in the TV series of Ramadan before the last.
Expert sites that assess films such as IMDb, recorded a critics mark of 38
points out of 100 for The Citizen, and 6.7 out of 10 from a mostly Arab
audience. In fact, the film won three awards and was nominated for two, but
these were mostly in gatherings rather than typical film festivals. However,
the local media follow-up of the film hailed a spectacular breakthrough, and
achievement, in their paper pages and aired talk shows, waiving their main role
of seeking and promoting the truth, they didn't bother checking specialized
movie sites. Media handling, as mostly usual, plays on the easy, without
scrutiny, unfortunately in most of the topics. It is appreciable to have
Egyptian and Arab representatives in global gatherings, but the most honorable
is to put the record straight, well or weak. This is the mass media role,
educate and inform, lay out facts based on study and digging, not on whims,
generally, not for this film in particular.
The
media is under focus, revealed by The Citizen, just as others did,
unsuccessful again, weak once more.
Twitter: @albahary
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