BAB EL MAKAM (PASSION)

Syria/France, 2005, 98 minutes, Colour.
Salwa Jamil.
Directed by Mohammad Malas.

This is a French- Tunisian- Syrian production. The director, Mohammed Malas, has an interesting background: philosophy studies in Damascus, teaching, film studies in Moscow and fifteen years working in Syrian television making many documentaries. This feature film is very much a Syrian perspective but a critical Syrian perspective on the role of women in Muslim society.

The film focuses on a thirty-year-old woman with her husband and three children in the city of Aleppo. Time has passed, her life is humdrum, working devotedly for her husband and children. He is a civil worker, diligent, but who moonlights as a taxi driver.

The woman listens to the songs of a Muslim singer Oum Kalsoum, an Egyptian. She tries singing herself, and gradually becomes more confident in her abilities. She goes through the bazaars looking for cassettes of her favourite singer and this transforms her – with good effect for her husband and family. In the meantime, in the very patriarchal society, her father-in-law becomes suspicious of her, suspicious of her singing. Her husband’s brothers also spy on her and come to the conclusion that she is having an affair. This hits at the family pride and the decision is made that she should be killed.

The film shows the brutality of the patriarchal system, the brutality of the confrontations, the influence of the patriarchal leaders on susceptible young men who carry out their violent commands. The film is a strong drama, a portrait of woman – set in a tragic situation which is governed by long tradition which needs to be challenged.

1. A Syrian perspective on life, on Islam, Islamic culture, the place of women?

2. The film based on a true story, the final information, the tribute to the dead woman?

3. The image of Islam, extremism? The impact for Syrian audiences, Arab and Muslim audiences, for the West?

4. The city of Aleppo, fast, the panoramas, the citadel, the ancient beauty, modern life, life Syrian style?

5. The importance of the music, the range of songs? The joy in singing, Imene coming to life, her husband filled with joy, leading to suspicions and tragedy?

6. The focus on family, the patriarch, laws, customs and expectations?

7. Imene and his father, old, his prayer, his ultimate despair, his comment on gangrene having to be cut off? His wife and her subservience? His son in prison? The other sons, acting on their father’s words? Violence? The cousins and the militaristic leader, assuming control? The abduction of the little girl? Their suspicions of Imene because of her singing? Expectations for family, reputation? Imene’s husband, the children, his work in the civil service, taxi-driving? The closeness of extended family?

8. Imene in herself, her age, marriage, love for her husband, remembering the old days? Her love for the singer, looking for records? Her own singing, tentative, her husband’s support, the little girl joining with her? Going to see the classic singer and the joy of the visit? The tapes? The detail of life at home, caring for the children, cooking? The abduction of the girl, her going to the family to plead? The sinister visits? Her brother and his seriousness? The brother in jail, the family going to see him, the gift and her delight? The consequences for her singing?

9. Imene’s husband, his civil service work, driving the taxi, always wanting to listen to the news? His delight in her singing?

10. The brother in prison, the family going to see him, the sending of the gifts? The photos continually present? The continued references to him? His crime – and politics?

11. The militaristic leader, his nephews acting as thugs, the abduction, the visit to Imene, the sternness? The old man looking in the mirror, his military uniform, regretting democracy? His audience with his brother, explaining the situation, his suspicions – without grounds? The image of gangrene and cutting off? The son having overheard the father and his being commissioned to act?

12. The young girl, going to visit her father in prison, her delight with Imene, growing up with the other children, the abduction, her not wanting to be in the house, her running away, the joy of her return? The other children?

13. The young men, their being influenced by their elders, the extremism, the protective attitudes of men, their own lives? The brother killing his sister?

14. The film not making specific references to Islam or the Koran?

15. The background of the invasion of Iraq, President Bush, the interpretation of imperialism and the geopolitics of the Middle East?