SaudiSphere

“Kaif Al-Hal” in Cannes

Sometimes I am hopeful. I get thrilled about “firsts” and wish that they will lead to “seconds- thirds, etc.” But again, in my society, firsts don’t necessarily lead to anything. On the contrary, they can invoke more restrictions by fanatics who see any innovation as a threat to their own sacred survival.

Here is a first:

The first full-length Saudi film, Kaif Al-Hal (translated: How are You? Or How’s it Going?) made its world premiere in the Cannes Film Festival this year. The plot is quite typical:

"Keif al Hal," which is set in a Riyadh home, begins with the college graduation ceremony of Sahar, played by a Jordanian actress, Mais Hamdan. Sultan, an orphaned cousin of the family, played by a Saudi heartthrob named Hisham al-Huwaish, plays out his romantic dream of becoming a filmmaker in a place where the arts are not respected, while staring twinkly-eyed at Sahar, his secret love.

Sahar's elder brother, Khaled, a fundamentalist, begins dictating what she needs to do.The tensions grow when Khaled comes to believe that his sister is having a secret romance.

One good thing about this movie is that it breaks the “we are the most exclusiveclub in the world” culture in Saudi and challenges traditional views about Saudi women.

Would Kaif Al-hal mark a new beginning? a movie industry in the kingdom? Only time will tell.

World Cup Bits

- No Booze or Porn for Saudi team:

The whole cultural sensitivity thing is great, but why the need for parental control? Can’t they refrain from alcohol or sex without any direct guidance?

               

- If you are into the world cup, don’t miss Yazeed’s blog: World Cup Fever.

“Design will save the world?”

Toot, a blog directory and an aggregator that represents a new venue for people’s media in the Middle East, is running a competition for best blog design on toot. Check it out and vote here. Some bloggers/toot-ers are already stressed out about the whole thing!

Dare to Demonstrate?

            

Cairo Freeze [Via Sandmonkey]

About to Begin: World Cup Mania!

I am no football devotee (I did watch the European champions league finale if that counts for anything). However, World Cup is another story, and I will try not to miss the important games. Obviously, I will be rooting for my own country’s team. And I am hoping that this time around, they will not embarrass us again.

At least we know that they will play these games:

Match	Date	Venue	Teams			Time
16	14-Jun-06	Munich		TUN:KSA		18:00
32	19-Jun-06	Hamburg		KSA:UKR		18:00
47	23-Jun-06	Kaiserslautern		KSA:ESP		16:00

And this is what Arabnews has to say about the Saudi team:

Saudi Arabia has every reason to be confident. The team sailed through the qualifying matches, re-establishing its form after the disappointment of the Asian Cup performance two years ago. Under Brazilian coach Marcos Paqueta, the team has become a cohesive squad with an attacking style that not only impresses but delivers as well.

That said, none of the other teams in Group H — Spain, Ukraine and Tunisia— will be a walkover. Alarm bells will be ringing after Ukraine’s 4-0 defeat of Costa Rica in a friendly match on Sunday. The Tunisians too are going to be on top form. Spain may be an easier proposition, despite making it through to the quarterfinals four years ago; some of their best players have been sidelined by injuries and their disappointing 0-0 draw in the friendly game against Russia on Saturday brought the observation from the Russian coach that although the Spanish players have great technical ability, they lack “a winning mentality.” We shall see but be aware at the same time that disappointment because of the draw with Russia will have sharpened the Spaniards’ wits and determination.

Experts out there, what do you think? What are your predictions?

When your Nationality is your Crime

The apprehension and the release of two Saudi students (Mana Saleh Almanajam, 23, and Shaker Mohsen Alsidran, 20) in Florida, who mistakenly rode into a public school bus instead of a regular one and caused quite a stir, tells us a lot about the fear, suspicion and negativity that surrounds anything Saudi.

I do understand the need to be on guard and protect oneself from a presumed danger. The law had its say and the authorities did their role: they were apprehended, their background was checked and when nothing was found they were released. But the zealots and hate-mongers from the ultra-right-wing blogosphere made this look like another 9/11 is about to happen. I am quite disgusted by some bloggers who immediately jumped into conclusions and showed us the true face of racism and xenophobia. Questions and observations like these were raised.

- Why are they learning English here? They could learn it in Saudi Arabia

- They were laughing and speaking in Arabic (sure a language like this should be banned altogether)

- The students conducted an apparent dry run for hijacking a school bus

- Saudis are coming to your kid’s school bus (what better way to control your population than make them live in constant fear, it is a proven and effective tactic)

- The police should’ve taken those two dirtballs to some location and inflicted their lesson on them

- One of the guys wore a trench coat, in May, in Florida?! (This is a crime by itself)

- Saudi student admittance polices are lax as ever (really? This is the most stupid thing that I read so far, worse than the trench coat comment. Apparently you don’t know your own country’s screening process)

- They should be shipped to Gitmo. Spill your guts there figuratively before someone here does it literally (why figuratively, you shouldn’t be that lax!)

What has happened to “due process” and “innocent until proven guilty”? I am glad that people like these don’t have the authority to judge. If so, they would put anyone who doesn’t follow their brand of thought in concentration camps. I am also glad that these people don’t represent what this country is all about.

TAMPA- Not long after shedding his orange jail jumpsuit for jeans and a T-shirt Tuesday afternoon, Shaker Mohsen Alsidran stared blankly at a throng of TV cameras and microphones.

"Can you try to answer me in English if possible?" a TV reporter asked with exaggerated enunciation. "Was this all a big mistake?"

Alsidran, 20, looked ahead silently. A few uncomfortable seconds passed.

"Mistake," he said, nodding.

On Language

         

Joe Heller 

Colbert to the Rescue

Tom DeLay must be really desperate!

Less-of-Muttawa?

Is it possible to limit the powers of the religious police (a Committee of overzealous fanatics) in a country where the government and the religious authority are intertwined?

Off course not, who are we kidding?

Check this out dreamers out there (myself included):

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it had taken measures to limit the power of controversial religious police who hardline clerics say make society more moral but many accuse of interfering in people's lives.

Had taken measures? when? what? how?

Was I sleeping during this major development?

Interior Minister Prince Nayef decreed that public prosecutors would deal with all cases concerning "harassment," stopping the ultraconservative kingdom's unique morality squad from detaining suspects for hours, the state media said.

"The role of the 'authority for the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice' ends with apprehending suspected individuals and handing them to the police, who then present them to prosecutors with a report of the incident involved," it said.

Oh, that measure!

But the problem with this so-called measure is this (scenario and emphasis is used for dramatization):

1-      An unofficial* muttawa observes a religious crime/heresy in a mall (example: a young male with long hair, a woman’s face out in the open, a couple having a coffee in a coffee shop, you know the usual crimes)

2-      The unofficial muttawa alerts the official muttawa immediately

3-      The official** muttawa stages a surprise attack (commando style) and apprehends the offender/heretic

4-      The offender/heretic is detained (length of detention not specified)

5-      Police (most probably) in favor of official muttawa, shows the offender/heretic a good time in prison

6-      An unofficial muttawa/judge presides over the case and issues his sentence (no lawyer is needed or required).

7-      Sentence applied on offender/heretic (good luck and my prayers goes to you)

8-      Official + Unofficial muttawa are both pleased.

Measure well taken. 

* Unofficial: does not hold a badge from the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice

** Official: holds a badge from the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice

Darfur: Never Again?!

       

Signe Wilkinson

    

Steve Greenberg

      

Patrick Chappatte