Page 12 - aruba-today-20220131

a12 people & arts
Monday 31 January 2022

First Arabic Netflix film tackles taboos,

sparks controversy

marriage in our society, so
what happened was a cul-
tural shock.”
Homosexuality is a particu-
larly strong taboo in Egypt:
A 2013 survey by the Pew
Research Center found
that 95% in the country say
it should be rejected by
society; in Lebanon, that
number stood at 80% at the
time.
The movie’s cast are mostly
prominent Lebanese stars
and its events are set in
This photo released by Netflix shows characters from the Arabic- Lebanon. There, it has gar-
language version of the Italian film “Perfect Strangers,” about nered many positive re-
friends who agree to share their incoming calls, voice and text
messages with each other over a dinner party, leading to a se- views. Fans said it discussed
ries of revelations that test their marriages and friendships.(Rudy relatable topics away from
Bou Chebel/Netflix via AP) stereotypes that are usually
attached to gay charac-
By Miriam Fam which has inspired many ters or cheating spouses on
Associated Press other international re- screen.
(AP) — A Lebanese father makes. It tells the story of “There’s nothing like the
tells his teenage daugh- seven friends at a dinner Arab world’s hatred of
ter she is free to choose party gone wrong after the the truth,” Rabih Farran, a
whether to have sex with hostess suggests that, as a Lebanese journalist, said
her boyfriend despite his game, they agree to share in a tweet, referring to the
reservations. any calls, text and voice backlash.
An Egyptian wife discreetly messages. As smart phones It’s not the first time that an
slips off her black, lacy un- buzz, secrets are revealed, Arabic-language movie
derwear from under her infidelities are exposed and has featured gay charac-
clothes before heading out relationships are tested. ters.
for dinner, and it’s not her The controversy has re-ig- Most famously, the 2006
husband she’s trying to tan- nited debates in the region movie “The Yacoubian
talize. over artistic freedom versus Building” with a cast of A-list
And in a dramatic moment, social and religious sensitivi- Egyptian actors caused a
a man reveals that he is ties; censorship; what con- stir for, among other things,
gay, a secret he has kept stitutes a taboo in different including a gay main char-
from his longtime friends societies and portrayal of acter. But the character
who are shocked — but gay characters. was ultimately killed by his
seem mostly accepting. One irony is that Netflix lover in what many saw as
The scenes in the first Ara- in the Middle East shows punishment.
bic Netflix movie have many non-Arabic mov- In contrast, the gay charac-
sparked a public drama ies and series that feature ter in “Ashab Wala A’azz” is
as intense as the one that gay characters in a posi- not depicted negatively.
plays out onscreen. On tive light, premarital and Another character encour-
social media and TV talk extramarital sex and even ages him to expose his for-
shows and among friends nudity — which is typically mer employers who let him
in Egypt and other Middle banned in cinemas in the go for his sexual identity.
East countries, a torrent of region — with little outcry. Talking on a popular TV
critics have denounced But to see those themes show, Egyptian lawmaker
the film as a threat to fam- broached in an Arabic-lan- Mostafa Bakry contended
ily and religious values, en- guage movie with Arab ac- Egyptian and Arab family
couraging homosexuality tors went too far for some. values are being targeted.
and unfit for Arab societies. (The movie has no nudity; “This is neither art nor cre-
Others have rallied to the it’s largely an hour and half ativity,” he said. “We must
film’s defense, saying de- of people talking around a ban Netflix from being in
tractors are in denial about dinner table.) Egypt” even if temporarily.
what happens behind “I think if it’s a normal for- Magda Maurice, an art
closed doors in real life. eign movie, I will be ok. critic debating Bakry on
Those who don’t like the But because it’s an Arabic the show, disagreed. “This
movie, they argue, are free movie, I didn’t accept it,” movie exposes what mo-
to not subscribe to Netflix or said 37-year-old Elham, an bile phones do to people
simply skip the film. Egyptian who asked for her and to their normal lives,”
Titled “Ashab Wala A’azz,” last name to be withheld she said.
which means “No Dearer due to the sensitivity of the “You cannot ban anything
Friends,” the movie is an topic. “We don’t accept now but you can confront
Arabic version of the Ital- the idea of homosexuality it with good art,” she add-
ian hit “Perfect Strangers,” or intimate relations before ed. q