Within the Orchard, Beyond the Trees.

Women without Men is a film by Shirin Neshat and is set in 1950s Tehran - specifically during the Musaddiq crisis and the ensuing people, albeit male dominated protests. The film charts the lives of 4 women - the spinster sister of a strict, religious, conservative man; her innocent, naive friend who is unwittingly thrown into the bitter reality of life; a disturbed and deeply damaged prostitute; and a woman in her 50s who discovers life late but discovers that maybe it is all just a little too late.

The role of women in Iranian society and politics were carefully and delicately addressed - how they were (and arguably continue to be) omitted or at best sidelined from mainstream politics, how they satisfy roles as lovers, wives, mothers, and sisters. What emerges is not a bleak portrait of women as submissive creatures, but as human beings who are strong, beautiful, determined, and defiant. Even though at times, the price to be free is just too high to pay.

It is a film of little words and dialogue is kept to a minimum. Instead, the plight of Iranian women are addressed by stark images, haunting music (provided beautifully by one of my childhood heroes, Ryuichi Sakamoto), stunning as well as painful scenes. It has a slightly dreamy and eerie feel about it, which adds to its sense of poignancy and loss. It did not overwhelm the audience (I was personally pleased with the length of time), and left us all with the need to reflect on our own society, coming of age, and how we can escape or come to terms with our own pre-determined fates.

For more information, this is the film's website: http://www.womenwithoutmenfilm.com/.

Hey Hey What What

Happy new year to everyone: all the boys and girls, all the sad and happy people, all the optimists and pessimists, all the loved and unloved, all of you and all of me. May 2010 bring us what we want, what we pray for and what we dream of.

I recently rewatched an old favourite film: The Madness of King George. I forgot how good it was: it tells the story of how George III of Hanoverian England lost his mind. We see him degenerate from a jovial, overly excited, well liked monarch to a foul-mouthed, deranged lunatic. With an ambitious Prince of Wales (played by Rupert Everett in all his oily and wigged glory) waiting in the wings to become Prince Regent, it becomes highly important for the mad king to find his sanity. He is aided by William Pit (the younger) and a parson-turned-doctor who uses unconventional methods to treat the poorly sovereign. Wonderfully portrayed by Nigel Hawthorne, the cast also includes a German accented Helen Mirren who plays Queen Charlotte, the devoted and patient wife of Farmer George, as he is lovingly known as by his subjects.

It is also a play by Alan Bennett, and as you can imagine, the dialogue reflects his usual wit! An interesting look at lunacy and how it affects even the highest of kings.

Now don't we all like a horrorshow filmy to viddy once in a while?

I had the opportunity to read A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess a few months ago. A verbal, sexual fest of words (just flowing like unmuddied water), it was such a read that caused a plethora of emotions. The story was amazing, frightening and adventurous. Alex and his drogues will be beating you with their actions but wooing you with their language. We lap up whatever his tongue dictates.

Fairuz then recommended me the film. A Stanley Kubrick classic of the same name, it is a wonder to the eye as it is a pleasure to the ear. A ready hand to cover one's eyes at times. But one's gulliver is indeed filled with words by the end of it! Morality and ethics are brought to question by Alex through his actions and his punishment. While his treatment is as contreversial, his pleasure in ultra-violence is manic as well as fascinating (only a mandman could derive such delights in rape, pillage and pain) - not to mention a love for Ludwig van.

Moloko plus first, my brothers. Right, right, right? But not this notchy for what thou didst have in mind.