Over the past few months, the Sawt Civil Foundation launched a new project titled “Sawt Cinema to Confront War and Extremism,” aimed at promoting coexistence, diversity, and peace, and rejecting violence among youth and the broader community.
On November 4 of last year, Sawt, in cooperation with the Dutch Embassy, inaugurated the first phase of the project at a café in central Sana’a. Recently, the foundation—which was established in 2010 and is known for its cultural and media engagement—has resumed its momentum by launching the second phase of its cinematic activities.
Sawt’s Objectives
The foundation’s president, Yemeni writer and poet Samah Al-Shughdari, told Al-Araby that, “There is no doubt that culture is the only tool that can unite all people from different backgrounds and affiliations. Visual arts in particular can deliver messages quickly and easily—something we truly need in a society like Yemen.”
Al-Shughdari added, “Reaching out to the general public, especially youth, during this difficult time Yemen is going through is one of Sawt’s primary goals through cinema. We aim to present important issues in a refined, light, and indirect manner, such as the importance of coexistence, diversity, and peace, as well as rejecting violence, extremism, and armed conflict. This is the message we aim to convey through films.”
Sawt Cinema has showcased various local, Arab, and international films addressing
issues of rights, freedoms, discrimination, and the effects of war and armed conflict on society—especially on women and children.
Social Conflict As part of the second phase of the project, Sawt screened the American comedy film “City Lights”, produced in 1931 and written, directed, and starring Charlie Chaplin. According to journalist Alawi Al-Saqqaf, the film addresses the ongoing social conflict between the affluent and the homeless in the city. He notes that Chaplin often uses distant, dramatized shots in his comedies to depict tragedy.
Peaceful Resistance
Al-Shughdari believes that “this project, at this stage, is a form of peaceful resistance that rejects all the internal conflicts occurring in the country.”
She explains, “We are trying to prove that Yemeni society does not reject the arts or look down upon cinematic expression, as is commonly believed. On the contrary, it needs many cultural tools to reshape its understanding of things—not just cinema, but also theater, visual arts, music, drama, and other refined artistic mediums that can positively influence how people engage with and discuss issues.”
Rehabilitating Society
Journalist Yahya Ahmed emphasizes, “We must believe in the role of cinema in
developing both individuals and society. By presenting diverse lifestyles, it helps raise awareness among audiences, which can lead to practical solutions for problems and advocacy for rights and freedoms—forming a launchpad toward a democratic society.”
Ahmed considers cinema to be “another form of nonviolent resistance, allowing us to rehabilitate society and rebuild the psychological and material destruction caused by war throughout the country.”
Source: Salah Hassan / Aden Post / August 2016
