Between artistic ambition and cultural differences

Last Tuesday, Megarama Cinemas in Casablanca hosted the opening of “Saudi Cinema Nights”, an event that spanned three days, from the 24th to the 26th of this month. The organizers chose the film “Al-Hamour Ha” by director Al-Qurashi to open these cinematic evenings.

This feature film, which brings back memories of nearly twenty years for viewers, finds its inspiration in an authentic story that spread in Saudi society at the beginning of the new millennium, under the title “Hamour Sawa.” It tells the story of a young man who manages to amass a huge fortune by gambling on mobile phone recharge cards, thus cheating a large number of people and eventually ending up behind bars.

It is important to note that “Al-Hamour HA” had previously been selected to represent Saudi Arabia at the 2024 Academy Awards, but unfortunately it did not have the opportunity to continue after it was excluded from the final list of films competing for the award.

It is the most ambitious film in the history of Saudi cinema, given the complexity of its subject. Indeed, the film’s story follows the journey of a security man who succeeds in amassing a fortune estimated at about one billion riyals in record time. It was therefore important to show the public the different ways in which this money is spent, from lavish parties and social events to the availability of cash, luxury cars and mansions. In addition, the large number of filming locations also contributed to increased production costs, as more than 160 locations were used for filming.

The film relies on narrative voice, as it tells the story from the point of view of Hamed (Fahd Al-Qahtani), focusing on the gradual development of his character. The idea of ​​quick wealth did not change its basic nature, but rather its material environment.

It should be noted that the film relies heavily on narrative nostalgia, especially with the advent and use of the first mobile phone equipped with a camera at that time. Here we are in a period of more than twenty years, during which the world has witnessed major changes, even in terms of music, fashion and trends. The film focuses specifically on the beginning of the new millennium.

Early in the film, the use of a narrator and extensive editing are intended to speed up events and shorten long periods of time, a strategy that is appropriate in theory because the film feels like a massive, multifaceted autobiography. However, if montage was, on a technical level, one of the film’s strengths, it did not justify the time jumps and multiple montages, and did not contribute sufficiently to the development of the main character. Thus, we are faced with a series of scenes in which the protagonist narrates his story in a montage that intensifies the events, interspersed with poorly explained scenes that reveal the confusion of the text and show the lack of cohesion between the text and the montage. Additionally, the film’s excessive length, at nearly two hours, is due to the presence of numerous filler scenes depicting the hero’s lavish life, as well as ostentatious camera angles, without any real purpose.

On the sidelines of criticism:

Although the film sought to explore new cinematic approaches and challenge the norms of the Saudi audience, it could not avoid resorting to clichés and stereotypes associated with Morocco in the Arabian Gulf. One scene in particular, which I personally found unnecessary and insulting to the host country of Saudi Cinema Nights, shows Marrakesh chosen by the protagonist’s comrades to celebrate the conclusion of a new agreement, suggesting that this is the perfect setting for wild, hedonistic fun. Party nights, all accompanied by the spotlight on a half-naked dancer in a nightclub.

We are not for censorship or guardians of intent, but we are categorically opposed to the stigmatization of the controversial image of our country, which welcomes the event with open arms. It is important to remember that its civilization extends back centuries and is one of the oldest nations in history, with remarkable cultural, political and dynastic continuity that is rarely observed… and it is unfortunate that it is reduced to an insulting scene in the film, which is of no benefit to the visitor nor the host.

By Hassan Habibi