Encyclopedia of Arab Women FilmmakersArab women filmmakers: Who are they? What drives them? What are their experiences in a male-dominated profession? How do they function within the contexts--and constraints--of patriarchal societies? The answers are complex and sometimes surprising, as complex and surprising as the vastly different films these women direct. In this unprecedented book, Rebecca Hillauer assembles a comprehensive and penetrating look into the history of Arab women's filmmaking, as well as the political and social background of the countries--Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Algeria, among others--from which these artists emerged.In addition to the biographies, filmographies, and discussions of their most important works, lively, in-depth interviews allow us to hear from the filmmakers themselves. Collectively, these women, who hail from a wide range of professional, religious, and social backgrounds, provide a varied and vivid picture of what it means to work in creative and journalistic fields in the modern Arab world. For Hillauer, the subject of a film, its genesis, and the personal story of the artist who created it reveal far more than a particular approach to cinematography. Arab women filmmakers and their main characters (who are often semi-autobiographical) not only afford us a look at seldom-seen facets of Arab societies, they personify an alternative women's 'model,' one that is far removed from western clichés. Broad in scope, and rich in insight, Arab Women Filmmakers is a must read for cineastes as well as students of film, feminism, and the Middle East. |
Contents
Acknowledgments I | |
Notes on Film Titles and Credits 7 | |
Pioneers of Arab Silent Film 27 | |
Women Filmmakers of the New Arab Cinema 33 | |
The Mashreq 117 | |
Lebanon 130 | |
Panorama of Lebanese Cinema 137 | |
Straddling Three Stools 188 | |
Morocco Discovers its Cinema Culture 333 | |
Tunisia 359 | |
Tunisian Women 366 | |
Other Countries 415 | 6 |
Other Filmmakers 421 | 12 |
Notes 449 | 40 |
| 50 | |
| 60 | |
Syria 244 | |
Few Oases in the Desert 251 | |
Yemens Filmmakers 261 | |
Morocco 327 | |
Photographic Credits 484 | |
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Abnoudy actress Algerian Algiers Amaria Arab Cinema Arab countries Arab film Arab women Arab world artistic Assia Djebar assistant director Ateyyat audience Award Beirut beta SP born Cairo camera critical culture daughter Degheidi Dir/Scr documentary films dreams Egypt Egyptian film exile Farida father feature film feel female femme film industry film production Film Reviews film school filmmakers Filmography France French fundamentalists girl Hanan Ashrawi Higher Film Institute husband International Film Festival Interview Iraqi Islamic Islamist Israeli Jocelyne Saab journalist Lebanese Lebanese civil war Lebanon Leila lives Lotfy Maghreb married Mohamed Moroccan Morocco mother Moufida Tlatli movie Muslim Nadia never Palestine Palestinian Paris political Prize problems Prod Rachida role screenplay sexuality shooting short films social society story studied Syria theater things tradition Tunis Tunisian veil village Viola Shafik wanted woman Yemen young Youssef Chahine