A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Reviews of films from Middle Eastern countries including Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and countries of the Arabian Peninsula.
Dror Moresh, “The Gatekeepers” (2012) An astonishing and powerful documentary about the Israeli internal intelligence security agency Shin Bet as seen through the eyes and viewpoints…
Middle Eastern Films, North American Films
Marcio E Gonçalves, “Rendering Lisa” (2010) Mehmet Can Koçak, “Perspective” (2011) Jesus Orellana, “Rosa” (2011) A homage to cyberpunk sci-fi writers William Gibson, Bruce Sterling and…
Japanese Films, Middle Eastern Films
Kathy Hearn, “Fukushima Fallout” (101 East / Al Jazeera, 8 March 2012) A year after the combined earthquake / tsunami / Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant explosion and…
Asghar Farhadi, “A Separation / Jodái-e Náder az Simin” (2011) A tragic story about how good intentions can start off a snowball that turns into an…
Bahman Ghobadi, “No-one Knows About Persian Cats” (2009) An ingenious film that uses a fiction plot to structure and showcase the Iranian pop music scene and…
Sadaf Foroughi, “Sara in 10 Minutes / Sara Dar Dah Daghighe-h” (2007) This is a charming documentary about a young orphan Sara, living in an orphanage…
Forough Farrokhzad, “The House is Black” / “Khaneh siah ast” (1962) Made about 50 years ago but still very confronting, “The House is Black” is the…
Ari Folman, “Waltz with Bashir” (2008) Few movies about war must be as personal and intense as this animated film about an Israeli ex-soldier’s gradual acknowledgement of the…
Hana Makhmalbaf, “Buddha Collapsed out of Shame” (2007) Charming and delightful with two small child actors playing the main parts, this film carries a sombre message…