Cinema Sabaya

A filmmaking course for female members of the local Israeli and Arabic community is something of a McGuffin here for writer and director Orit Fouks Rotem which allows her to examine the cultural and political attitudes that divide and unite the communities.

With director Rona (Dan Igvy) assigning projects to the women handing out cameras so they can record life at home, sound exercises: is there ever true silence and written exercises and improvisation, the viewer is led through a myriad of issues. The first is should the lessons be in Hebrew or Arabic – its Hebrew as they all speak it.

Through the courses and as the women get to know each their characters develop giving away details. There is one who wants to take driving lessons but can’t speak to her husband about for fear of his reaction, which leads to one of the most intense scenes in the film.

This in turn leads to a discussion about the men, the place and their respect. The hijab is discussed and what it means as not all the Arab women wear it and is a subject of curiously for to the Israelis. For one Israeli woman there’s her fear of the Arabs - irrational maybe but it’s there and countered by the Arab members of the group..

But it’s not all politics, the home video opens a discussion on women shaving, the frustration of bringing up boys in a patriarchal household and the pressure to have more children. As usual with these things a sort of lynchpin develops with the elderly Arab mother and grandmother. Fixed with her beliefs on homosexuality and God though also a pragmatic approach to life.

Not that it is confined to her. Others have family problems wanting to move away from home to study but barred by family. And Rona too is challenged when it is felt she is pushing too hard and the group learn that she has her own ambitions and what she is going to do with such personal material.

It has quasi documentary feel with some very naturalistic acting though as it progresses it becomes clear that this is a film. Nevertheless Rotem’s words ring genuine and her direction is light-handed allowing the cast plenty of room to express themselves.

Cinema Sabaya was presented at the UK Jewish Film Festival and is now available through the online festival.