self-authored – Page 61

BBC – Bookclub, Arundhati Roy – The God of Small Things

for years i have followed arundhati roy’s political writings – her moral courage and eloquence are a constant inspiration. i finally finished reading her only book of fiction “the god of small things” and once again i am inspired. the book has been called dazzling. i think it’s astonishing in how it’s structured (non linear, organic, rich with leitmotifs), in the musicality and inventive use of language, in the breadth and width of its small and colossal themes (life and death, love and loss, childhood and old age, caste and patriarchy, violence, sadness and infinite joy) and in how vividly, how lovingly she paints kerala. a staggering work of art…

here’s arundhati’s interview about the book on the bbc and a loose transcript of that conversation.

To Rome With Love

watched “to rome with love” – except for some sharp repartee between woody allen himself and the topnotch judy davis, the film sags and eventually fizzles out with too many great actors who don’t have nearly enough to do. the film pokes fun at every italian stereotype but it’s too superficial to be interesting. it could have been a visual ode to rome (like allen’s stunning “manhattan”) but even that possibility doesn’t quite crystallize. “midnight in paris” was much better and that’s hardly my favorite woody allen film.

an evening of rumi poetry

attended a wonderful event at RIT today. it started with the splendid shahin monshipour giving us some background on mevlana jalaluddin rumi’s early life and his mind-blowing encounter with shams-i tabrizi. she went on to play some “ney” (long reed flute which has existed for 5000 yrs) while she recited rumi’s poetry in farsi, one of the most melodious languages on earth. rumi used the metaphor of the ney to explain how god’s breath can pass through us if we are yielding enough. just like the ney longs to become one with the reed it came from, so do we long to go back to our source, our creator. shahin was followed by babak elahi who spoke about love-sickness and the healing powers of poetry. according to research, PET scans of people who are in love are v similar to people who are obsessive compulsive. he recounted the story of layla and majnun by nizami. majnun literally means possessed by jinns or demons. he became love-sick not only on account of layla’s sensual beauty but also because it was a reflection of her maker. he told the first story in rumi’s masnavi which is about heart sickness and healing thru the death of “nafs” or ego. there was more poetry reading by john roche and amelia fontanel. finally, we watched “fragments of light 6”, a short film by naho taruishi and zahra partovi. shown on a screen that meets at 90 degrees in the center, much like a giant open book, the film consists of light projection that mirrors the visual mood and feel of rumi’s poems. it’s like stepping into a different world, a different rhythm. lovely.
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“The Song of the Reed”

1. Listen to the song of the reed,
How it wails with the pain of separation:

2. “Ever since I was taken from my reed bed
My woeful song has caused men and women to weep.

3. I seek out those whose hearts are torn by separation
For only they understand the pain of this longing.

4. Whoever is taken away from his homeland
Yearns for the day he will return.

5. In every gathering, among those who are happy or sad,
I cry with the same lament.

6. Everyone hears according to his own understanding,
None has searched for the secrets within me.

7. My secret is found in my lament‚
But an eye or ear without light cannot know it . . .”

9. The sound of the reed comes from fire, not wind‚
What use is one’s life without this fire?

10. It is the fire of love that brings music to the reed.
It is the ferment of love that gives taste to the wine.

11. The song of the reed soothes the pain of lost love.
Its melody sweeps the veils from the heart.

12. Can there be a poison so bitter or a sugar so sweet
As the song of the reed?

A. To hear the song of the reed
everything you have ever known must be left behind.
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Version by Johathan Star. From “Rumi: In the Arms of the
Beloved.” (New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 1997). [Lines indicated by a capital letter are invented and have no basis in the Persian text.]

Hiroshima, Mon Amour

watched “hiroshima, mon amour” last night and loved it. it’s about war and peace, about love and loss, about forgetfulness and remembrance, all intertwined in a poetic combination of script and cinematic imagery, musical patterns and physical synchronicity. alain resnais is a genius. am watching all his other films.

the most dangerous man in america: daniel ellsberg and the pentagon papers

watched “the most dangerous man in america: daniel ellsberg and the pentagon papers” last night and this is exactly what i was thinking. things are much worse now – for freedom of speech, for whistle blowers, for anti-war activists, for civil liberties, for the rule of law. the systems that have been put in place to ensure complete govt/corporate/military control and perpetual war (abroad and at home) are quite impressive.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

the most stunning thing about werner herzog’s “cave of forgotten dreams” is the exquisite art. by using uneven cave surfaces, dripping water and the transient light and shadows created by fire, artists endowed their work with life-like texture, movement and vigor. it’s breathtakingly beautiful, refined, haunting. humans had it in them, even 32,000 years ago.

my review: miss julie (1951 film)

watched alf sjöberg’s “miss julie” last night. the film is based on a play by august strindberg. totally surprising. the film was made in 1951 yet it is daring, politically incorrect and immensely “modern” for that time. strindberg was obsessed with gender dynamics (miss julie is based in large part on his first marriage – a marriage full of sexual chemistry but also profound loathing). the tug of war between the sexes is complicated and distorted further by economic class and the power structures it enables. must read more strindberg. here’s more on the film.

the seventh seal

finally saw bergman’s “the seventh seal” – visually stunning and profound. no wonder it’s considered one of the best films ever made. the film is ground-breaking. it’s one of bergman’s earliest films i believe and it shows us many things we’ve learned to love about his work. first the cinematography is divine. there is no other word for it. it’s a lesson in composition and light. second, the knight’s quest for truth is something we can all relate to. his need to believe in god is contrasted with the squire’s rationality and cynicism. bergman’s symbolism is at play, as usual. so much can be read into the film – based on our own inclinations perhaps. it struck me how the crusades (like most wars) seemed meaningless to those who were once motivated to leave everything behind for god and country. in fact, war breaks something inside of one – perhaps irreversibly. the scene where a young girl, a child really, is burned at the stake for bringing about the plague is heartbreaking and senseless. people can believe anything to make sense of their reality, even if it means murdering a child. of course, there r many comments on religion throughout the film.

someone compared it to kurosawa’s ikiru. i have seen ikiru and it blew me away. in fact, i liked it more than rashomon, which i understand is a classic in many ways (cinematography and the use of dappled light, the idea of telling the same story from diff perspectives, the unusual editing, etc) but it doesn’t have the compassion that ikiru has. in the same way, i found the seventh seal to be compassionate, not just cerebral. the portrayal of a simple, happy family is v warm indeed. so great comparison.

have not seen woody allen’s love and death but apparently it has a lot of references from the seventh seal. allen is a huge fan of the film. the criterion collection includes his comments.

“The Time That Remains” – The Letter

loved the film. its perfectly framed shots, impeccably choreographed scenes, spare dialogue and quiet moments of brilliance r like a visual poem. by creating physical, mental and emotional space around his narrative, elia suleiman imbues his palestinian characters with elegance and dignity. the film expresses his desire for order in an environment which is hardly bearable let alone comprehensible. the absurdity of excessive force or widespread propaganda, the humiliation of occupation and the violent dance between israeli soldiers and palestinian resistance are all visually articulated. certain images/scenes r indelible, many from 1948. what better statement of resistance or wish for peace and co-existence than suleiman pole vaulting effortlessly over the separation wall? beautiful. 5 out of 5 for me.

L’enfant sauvage – 1969

watched françois truffaut’s l’enfant sauvage (the wild child) again last night. what an exquisite film. the black and white cinematography is gorgeous, antonio vivaldi’s sublime music forms the film’s entire musical score, truffaut’s performance as the real-life dr itard is perfectly controlled and 13 year old jean-pierre cargol (who plays the main role) is absolutely stunning. more background on the film here.

Miral

finally saw miral. the film’s content is fine, except perhaps the oslo accords which r presented as a viable solution to the occupation. a map of what was proposed would be useful as it would be a visual recap of the bantustan that was supposed to constitute a palestinian state. my problem with the film is more aesthetic, more technical. the film lacks any emotional depth. it is full of cardboard characters that we should feel something for but with whom we r incapable of forming any empathetic ties. the camerawork is too stylized (in an unsteady way), to the point of being distracting, annoying. however, the film “shows” many imp issues (w/o really delving into them) and that is something. 3.5 out of 5 for me.

Watch Documentaries Online – Occupied Minds

occupied minds: a candidate for the palestinian film festival we’re organizing in rochester. the film touches on many important issues, it’s personal and therefore easier to watch and access. it tries to be balanced (which can be a problematic word in the context of occupation but it’s not here). it lacks a cohesive narrative and doesn’t leave us with any cogent/urgent message but at the same time it manages to cover a wide spectrum of issues in one film w/o making it overwhelming. a great compliment to narrative films. 4 out of 5 for me.

western feminism and solidarity

in her article “occupy the holidays” (the nation, january 2, 2012) katha pollitt’s first recommendation for donating to worthwhile causes is an organization called “women living under muslim laws”. no kidding, there is a non-profit by that name. pollitt’s articulation of their mission: “this international solidarity network serves women affected by sexist and theocratic interpretations of islam. whether it’s unequal family laws, the criminalization of women’s sexuality, the marginalization of women’s voices or the infamous saudi driving ban, wluml is on the case.”

this is what houria bouteldja, spokeswoman for the PIR (parti des indigènes de la république) likes to call the privilege of white solidarity. on being asked about feminism and if she had any advice for white women interested in solidarity, she explained:

“my advice is that they should not forget their own oppression and they should cease to be maternalistic, meaning that they should cease to consider women in the south as simple victims. women in the south, women from third world countries, know how to take care of themselves. white women have this privilege of solidarity – they think that there is a need to help women in southern countries because they assume that these women r more oppressed, more alienated. this is not completely false – women from southern countries need solidarity from all women across the globe. but i think that the demand from these women, from these people [in third world countries] is that women from the north, from the occident, fight against imperialism in their own societies. for palestinian women for example it is about asking people from western countries to fight against zionism, and against the pro-israeli policies of their govts. when palestine is liberated, palestinian women will take responsibility for their own future and decide what their emancipation will look like as they negotiate with their own society. personally, what i don’t like is the interference.”

so when i read about this u.k. based solidarity outfit the first thing that came to mind was, what about a non-profit called “women fighting imperial wars.” makes a lot of sense considering that one in three u.s. servicewomen get raped. in fact they are more likely to get raped by fellow soldiers than be killed by the enemy. this becomes even more terrifying when it is estimated that 90% of military rape cases go unreported.

if we must be religion-specific, then how about donating to “women under jewish occupation” or better still “women under christian drones”?

in today’s world when wars and occupations and their impact on women are documented with vivid, multi-media precision, available to all at the click of a mouse, it is truly astounding how the west can continue to live in la la land and pretend that it can fix the world by bombing it or bringing “stability” in the guise of multinational-friendly dictators, whilst donating to solidarity with the ones being bombed or repressed – at least the female half of that civilian population. as bouteldja illustrates so beautifully, western feminists need to focus on the oppression of white women first and then stand in solidarity with their sisters around the globe by resisting the violence committed by their societies on other countries and people – including women living under muslim laws.
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Occupy the Holidays, Katha Pollitt, January 2, 2012 edition of The Nation

Houria Bouteldja Interview

Rape shame of the US military, Ellie Mae O’Hagan, July 21, 2011, The Guardian

Covered up: More than 1/3 of American woman soldiers raped, Ronald West, October 26, 2010, Alternet.org
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Self Study

“It has always been a struggle for me to explain myself, who I truly am, and how I should or shouldn’t act in culturally diverse situations. Occasionally I feel confused, proud, and even awkward about how to deal with the differences of my two halves. Am I Iranian? Am I American? Should I be Muslim from my father or Jewish from my mother? I feel that maybe these photographs will answer some questions.” More here.
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my comments:

that’s natalie abbassi trying to make sense of her identity. such questions might be more pertinent for newer immigrants and certainly for people who have truly lived bi-culturally, as she has, especially when one of the cultures they r rooted in is perceived as the opposite of the other. iran is not just another country – it comes with a lot of stereotypical baggage in america. and i’m sure that the same is true of being an american in iran – altho perhaps to a lesser degree on account of american cultural hegemony. i find the formation of cross-cultural identities to be fascinating (perhaps because that’s something i think about a lot) and its artistic treatment is most interesting to me. i like what she has done. she has expressed her “duality” quite literally.

mixed identities have always existed, but they have never been immersed in such a global, complex, propagandized environment as today. the exploration of one’s identity is a way to come to terms with oneself especially if one part of ur identity is being articulated/mutilated for u on a daily basis. as far as those sharing in that exploration, i think that it can be an equally rich experience for them. it creates empathy, it widens one’s world. it’s a bit like learning a new language.

the tudors

watched a few episodes of “the tudors.” it’s a sexed up, soap opera-ish account of henry VIII’s travails, with awful digitally-generated sets. what struck me most (apart from the obscene disconnect b/w ruler and subject and the sad results of royal inbreeding) was how women have been “colonized” forever. it’s the oldest, most pervasive form of imperialism.