The prominent Egyptian director Yousef Shahin is currently gearing up for his new film Al Ghadab (anger) in which the Palestinian issue will be highlighted.
Shahin, whose recent film Sukoot Hansawwar (Quiet, We will Shoot) is being screened at the French screening venues, told a conference held on Tuesday by the Arab Press Club in Paris that the script of his films are “rewritten more than 20 times.”
“I have critic friends whom I show the script seeking their advice and views,” AFP quoted Shahin as saying.
Commenting on September attacks in the US, Shahin believes that what happened was not a big surprise noting that politicians could have expected these events. He said, “if facts are there, expectations could be realistic.”
“In the film Awdat Al Ibn Al Dal (Return of Stray Son) which preceded war in Lebanon, I showed the tension prevailing within the Arab family. Also in the film Al Osfour (Bird) I expected what happened in 1967. In Alexandria Laih (Alexandria, Why), I intended to respond to the west and tell them that the shelteredness they accused us of did not exist. We in Alexandria speak 20 different languages,” added Shahin.
He criticized the American cinema system, which does not accept any films from abroad. “It would have been useful, had they seen my two films Al Masir (Destiny) and Al Akhar (The Other) but their closed economic system does not permit an Egyptian or Lebanese film to compete with Hollywood films,” said Shahin adding that the “Americans did not purchase any of his films. It is something regrettable for a country like the US with the biggest number of professors and scholars to graduate ignorant generations which doe not know except the American cinema.”
Back to the Palestinian issue, Shahin said that Palestinian President Yasser “Arafat did not give orders to spark the Palestinian uprising. The public went out with stones, which have become more powerful than bombs. I as Yousef Shahin could become a member in Hamas,” said Shahin.
He added, “there is an image in my mind that I cannot eliminate, the image of an Israeli bulldozer uprooting a 300-year old olive tree. It is something horrible that ignites anger inside me.” – Albawaba.com
