Class and ethnic dilemmas

Question 1

whats the Problem with getting rid of stereotypes

Answer 1

overlooks structural issues
- Making “better” representations is equally reductive - still formed in opposition

Question 2

Essentialism

Answer 2

• Paying attention to what is when we should look at what isn’t
• Studying stereotypes confines us to studying what is presented

Question 3

Focalisation

Answer 3

• Film that situates you where your empathies should lie
• From who’s point of view is a group good or bad
• E.g. a double agent - who are they for, who are they betraying
• Who’s standpoint are we told to adhere to
• Viewing also depends on context

Question 4

Genre & stereotyping

Answer 4

• Is there a difference stereotyping in comedy vs drama?
• Do we let our guards down if it is unserious?

Question 5

How can a film be transnational?

Answer 5

• Produced by one group representing another
• A film from one nation produced/funded by a body from another
• Ethnic groups can straddle several nations

Question 6

Yacoubian building themes of class

Answer 6

• Buying into positions of power
• Poor people on the roof (inversion of conventionality?)

Question 7

Why not so much class in ME cinema?

Answer 7

• Funding & government (
• Polarisation & Absence of middle class = highly sensitive topic
• Can you afford having a film about class in countries that are not democratic
• It is the most direct challenge to the regime

Question 8

Politics of Language - “social battleground” (Shafik)

Answer 8

Modern Standard Arabic
- emerged in 20th century
- Still different from colloquial
- Used in media by journalists

Algerian Cinema

Colonial power in language
- E.g. algeria
- French private schools vs Arabic public schools
- Debate - which should cinema use

Question 9

Use of language as a subversive tool

Answer 9

Different qualities
- Diction, accent
- immediately Sets a character apart as “subversive”

Question 10

Nahda (renaissance)

Answer 10

• Early 1900s
• idea: in order to be modern we have to modernise the language
• Part of modernising the language is standardising it
• Takes Quraanic Arabic and standardises it
• Idea of pan-Arab world

Question 11

What are the issues of language in film

Answer 11

• From filmmakers standpoint you have to make a decision about language for all aspects of the films production
• The issue: If you don’t use MSA then you are implying that you oppose unity/modernity
• You are challenging the idea of the Nahda

Language is not only a transparent form of communication
- Meaning is refracted

Question 12

Politics of subtitling

Answer 12

who is speaking? for who? dubbed english characters appealing to western audience
Film examples (beyond the walls)
- Palestinians subtitled and Israeli are dubbed in English
- Then becomes a “good guy”
- In the last scene the Palestinian is dubbed in English (when he becomes the “good guy”)