LA VIERGE, LES COPTS ET MOI... (THE VIRGIN, THE COPTS AND ME…)

France, 2011, 85 minutes, Colour.
Siham Abdel Messeeh, Namir Abdel Messeeh.
Directed by Namir Abdel Messeeh.

Quite a crowd-pleasing documentary.

The director engages his audience by showing his quest to get his film made - and by featuring his mother, a strong-minded and mouthed lady to say the least, whom he has in tow throughout the film. Come to think of it, she really has him in tow.

The family is Coptic having moved from Egypt to France in the early 1970s. Though he is not a believer, he has become fascinated by reports of apparitions of Mary in Cairo in 2010. He then hears of apparitions in 1968. So, he decides to find out what Copts believe, their piety and devotion, how much popular superstition is at work. He thinks it will give him some insights into Egypt. His globetrotting producer is puzzled as to the direction of the film and asks whether it is about the Virgin Mary, Egypt or himself. Why not all three? Hence the title of the film.

There is a lot of location photography, especially in Cairo. There are many interviews ranging from the skeptical to the very devout. The Copts take their religion seriously and are aware of their minority status and persecution.

Eventually, the director decides to re-enact an apparition to show what it is like and how people react. He uses his extended family (bossed about by his mother who has declared herself production manager). There are auditions for Mary, rehearsals for reactions, a lot of family banter and interactions - and, finally, the film of the apparition.

1. The tone of the film? Serious documentary? Light? Comic? The touch of mockumentary?

2. The director and his interests – and the combination in the title? The opinion of his producer?

3. France, the family, their life in France, the French perspective, the background of the Egyptian perspective? Coptic Christianity?

4. The Copts in Egypt, the statistic, their place in Egyptian society, the experience of persecution?

5. The Egyptian heritage – and the change in 2011?

6. The issues of religion, Coptic Christianity, the visuals, the icons and churches, the clergy, the authority? Piety, devotions? Superstitions? The history of apparitions of Mary – and their influence?

7. The information about the apparition of 2010? Watching the video, the light, what seen – and what not seen? Different perspectives? The mother’s comments about faith, piety and perspectives? The information about the apparitions in 1968, the records? Copts and Muslims both claiming to have seen Mary?

8. The director going to Egypt, his attitude, the humorous touch, his skills, the issue of the budget? The theme?

9. His family in France, his mother and her presence, dominating, religious, managing and taking over production manager, dealing with people, fulfilling favours, offering exceptions? Exasperating her son?

10. The interviews, the range in Cairo, in the streets, with the family, the various opinions about the apparitions?

11. Going to the family, the introductions, the auditions, the proposal about the film? The strong sense of religion and the response to the director?

12. The rehearsals? Why a re-enactment of the apparitions? The motive? The mockumentary style in making the film? The making of...?

13. The fields, the older people, their expressions, shouting, amazement?

14. The girls being auditioned for Mary – the final choice, her being lifted up, as appearing in the final film?

15. The green screen, Mary lifted up, the lights, the people?

16. The story testing people’s belief and responses? The family and their delight in seeing themselves on screen?

17. The title – and what the director learnt? What the audience learnt?