Page 27 - Hussein Revivalism14
P. 27
How do we Illustrate
Imam Hussein’s
Message Cinematically?
Abdul-Kareem Ibrahim
Any idea of recreating the epic Sharqawi, or ‘Al-Hur Ibn Yazid
story of Imam Hussein requires al-Riyahee’ of the renowned
superb accuracy in order to Abdul-Razzaq Abdul-Wahid,
encompass the many-layered focused mostly on the element
and universal humanitarian of emotion. In light of these
ideals that he embodies. productions, it is crucial that a
The majority of existing new attitude towards clarifying
cinematic works lack the ability the true message is established
to fully depict the true image of and the audience is presented
the values that Imam Hussein with Imam Hussein’s powerful
represents. These works seem defiance of death and his
to be deficient in including message.
the subtleties of this blessed Script writers should draw upon
message, despite their best contemporary and noteworthy
efforts and financial resources. features that reveal Karbala’s
Screenwriters and directors history, in order to produce an
have been unable to realise the epic and universal work.
greatness of the battle of al-Taff However, it is perhaps the
in all its aspects in any single scarcity of resources available
film production. for funding that hampers so
For this reason, some have tried many of these projects, and
entering such an epic via an perhaps combining artistic
indirect manner, such as al-Hur efforts into one great, ambitious
Ibn Yazid al-Riyahee, Wahab work will finally produce the
al-Kalaby, and Jawn. These cinematic work worthy of Imam
examples come fairly close to Hussein’s Message.
portraying the main aspects of
this event; however, they fall
short of covering the minute
details. Depending on poetry,
as in ‘Hussein, a Martyr, and
an Avenger’ from the famous
Al-Kawn Shajrah Husseini Play
Hussein Revivalism 27
