Cairo – Reuters
Amid the shadow of civil war, a Yemeni poet has launched an initiative to screen Arab and international films in a café in Sana’a — proving that dreams remain possible, and that the lack of functioning cinemas in the capital does not deprive the public of the right to enjoyment and imagination.
The screenings began on November 4 with the short documentary “Yemeni Women Creating Change” and are held every Wednesday through March 16, 2016.
Poet and filmmaker Samah Al-Shaghadri, who is also the head of Sawt Foundation
for Development — the organizer of the Sawt Cinema project — said the initiative aims to rekindle interest in cinema as an art form with a positive impact on society. It seeks to expand horizons in art, culture, freedom of expression, and creative and innovative thinking, while promoting the principles of equality and women’s participation.
Al-Shaghadri explained that she chose Coffee Trader, a café in central Sana’a, as the venue due to the lack of any functioning movie theater. “All state-owned cinema halls have been shut down. It’s impossible to coordinate with the Ministry of Culture to reopen a cinema under current conditions, especially with the complete absence of the state and the dominance of a sectarian religious group whose main focus now is military mobilization,” she said.
She praised the positive response to the screenings, which have drawn activists, academics, media professionals, and especially university students. She believes that screening films in a café draws attention to the closure of more than 25 cinemas in Yemen and gives young filmmakers hope — demonstrating that it is still possible to use new tools for creative expression, explore new paths in cultural and cinematic work, and produce and enjoy films.
She hopes that audience engagement with the screenings will lead to the restoration and reopening of abandoned cinemas in Yemen and the eventual building of new venues once the conflict ends — even though explosions can still be heard during some screenings.
Samah Al-Shaghadri, a member of the Yemeni Writers and Authors Union, has
published two poetry collections: “Diamond Flower” (2005) and “The Fabric of Darkness” (2010). She noted that Sawt Cinema, a non-profit cultural and media initiative, was founded in 2010 “out of a deep belief that culture is the only true tool through which peaceful change can be achieved — through ideas, visions, and discussions.”
She added that the cinema project has faced challenges in past years, as funders were reluctant to support the idea of cinema in a conservative, traditional society like Yemen, where everything related to film has gradually been eliminated. “Cinemas were shut down not only in Sana’a, but also in Taiz, Dhamar, Al-Bayda, and other provinces.”
The foundation, she said, is betting on the power of visual arts, one of the most effective tools in a society with an illiteracy
rate nearing 50%. “We never lost hope in finding someone to support the idea. By chance, we came across the Prince Claus Fund in the Netherlands and applied for funding in February 2015.” Although the fund initially expressed concern over how a cultural activity of this kind could be organized during wartime, they eventually granted €11,000 to launch the project.
The screenings include feature films and documentaries, both Arab and international. Among the titles shown: A New Day in Sana’a by Yemeni director Badr Ben Hirsi, The Burdened by Khadija Al-Salami, Wadjda by Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour, and A Separation by Iranian director Asghar Farhadi — along with Egyptian, American, and European films.
The films address themes such as women’s oppression and human rights, and were selected to raise deep, thought-provoking
questions without provoking the audience — especially given that the screenings are open to all segments of society, and Yemen is currently under extraordinary circumstances, dominated by an armed group and a total absence of state authority.
At the end of the project, Al-Shaghadri hopes to publish a book documenting the experience — possibly encouraging another funder to support a second phase. She aims to promote cinema-going culture and make it a phenomenon that could expand and spread. “The symbolism of having a cinema space, even with basic equipment, is proof that life continues — and that it’s possible to do work committed solely to art and creativity, away from any political affiliations,” she said.
She also aspires to expand the screenings outside of Sana’a once the internal conflict subsides. Sawt Foundation has ambitions to support the production of amateur films by young Yemeni filmmakers, submit them to international film festivals, and organize workshops in cinematography and directing.
Source: Reuters, 2016
