The Culturist Film Club - Online: A Civilised People / Civilisées (June 14)
For the month of June, the film club will focus on the theme of resistance.
With the news racism, injustices and protests in America and other parts of the world, join me in a discussion about this film and its wider historical and cultural context. Additionally, I’m seeing a lot of empty Black Lives Matter talk locally and regionally that are tone deaf to existing discriminations closer to home, so would like to address those issues too in the discussions.
A Civilised People / Civilisées
Director: Randa Chahal
1999, France / Lebanon, 97 min
During the civil war, many Lebanese fled to Europe, leaving their large apartments, luxurious houses, and their servants: Sri Lankans, Filipinos, Egyptians “imported” to serve by the thousands. They must deal with the mood-swings of a sniper who controls their building, dominating its inhabitants and the neighbourhood as a whole, as well as several of the city’s perilous checkpoints.
All their lives intersect - the young Muslim militia fighter and a Christian maid, the traumatic adventures of a rich lady who who has returned in search of her lover, the trials and tribulations of Beirut cats.
From The Guardian (2008): “Civilisées (A Civilised People) enjoyed critical success abroad, winning a prize in New York, but was screened just once at the Beirut international festival and subsequently fell foul of the censors (50 of its 97 minutes were cut), proving Chahal's point that Lebanon was still in the grip of a collective amnesia about its 15-year civil war. Civilisées is one of the most scathing features made about the Lebanese war. Seen through the eyes of maids from various developing nations working for wealthy Lebanese, militants - but also civilians - career madly around the country in a bloody comedy.”
How to watch:
Available to watch for free on Randa Chahal’s of website www.randachahal.com/civilisees. The film includes English subtitles.
Online film club discussion date:
Sunday, June 14 at 8.00pm (UAE / GST)
Register:
Send an email with the subject line RSVP A CIVILISED PEOPLE to hind.mezaina@gmail.com by June 14, 2.00pm (UAE / GST).
Discussion format:
Group session on Google Meet (available to users without a Google Account). A link will be sent after receiving your registration.
About The Culturist Film Club:
The Culturist Film Club is something I started on April 19, an online activity where participants have a few days to watch a film I suggest, and then we meet online to discuss on a specific date.
My film programming for Louvre Abu Dhabi is currently on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, so I thought I’d give this a try. There are countless film viewing parties online right now, and I wanted to do something different by suggesting a film you can watch at your own pace and time, and then have a few of us get together online to talk about it.