Routledge Handbook on Arab Cinema
Deep Insights
London: Routledge (2024), xix, 440 pp.
Contains figures, index
ISBN 978-1-00-330202-5 (ebook);
"The collection includes contributions from academics and filmmakers from across the Arab region, Europe, and North America, and fills a gap in media studies by examining the entire Arab region, rather than focusing on one country or theme. The Handbook also sheds light on the heterogeneity of Arab filmmaking not only within the Arab region, but also globally, within diasporic communities. It is split into six parts: Part 1 provides an overview of each sub-region in the Arab world, including a chapter on Arab animation films. Parts 2, 3, and 4 address topical themes, encompassing the representation of gender, religion, and identity politics in Arab cinema. Part 5 discusses the theme of diaspora and Part 6 concludes the volume with reflective essays penned by selected diasporic filmmakers." (Publisher description)
Introduction / Noha Mellor, 1
PART 1. OVERVIEW
1 In the shadow of critique: Major themes of Maghrebi cinema / Ratiba Hadj-Moussa, 11
2 The story of Iraqi cinema: A dream shattered by political and economic tribulations / Irada Aljubori, 26
3 Filmmaking and film cultures on the Arabian Peninsula / Dale Hudson, 40
4 Development of the cinema industry in Egypt / Hala El Zahed, 60
5 Reimagining Sudan: Sufism, revolt, and national identity(ies)in film / Maha Bashri, 70
6 Cinema in the Levant / Reham Salah El Din, 82
7 Jordanian cinema: A burgeoning scene / Ebtihal Mahadeen, 94
8 Arab animation cinema: From sand to screen / Tariq Alrimawi, 108
9 The value chain of the film sector / Noha Mellor, 125
PART 2. GENDER REPRESENTATION
10 Gender representation in Algerian cinema / Saida Kheira Benammar, 137
11 Cassettes, cameras, and computers: The gendering of media in Arab narrative cinema / Anne Ciecko, 148
12 Fictive witnessing: Leila Kilani’s On the Edge and Kaouther Ben Hania’s Beauty and the Dogs / Suzanne Gauch, 160
13 Confused, rebellious, and depressed – Liberated women in Egyptian cinema / Noha Atef, 170
14 Marco: A Levantine queer encounter in London / Feras Alkabani, 179
15 Against “Double Erasure”: Women’s filmmaking in the aftermath of the uprisings in Yemen, Libya, and Saudi Arabia / Katty Alhayek and Eva Oseen, 192
16 The Gulf female gaze: Women filmmakers and the creative representation of sociopolitical issues in the GCC states / Suzi Mirgani and Maysaa Almumin, 204
PART 3. RELIGION
17 “Fly, Horses of God, and the gates of paradise will open for you” – Radicalization and terrorism in Moroccan cinema / Aziz Douai, 217
18 Religion, authority and morality codes in Arab cinema / Marlé Hammond, 227
19 From terrorist to pious believer: Depictions of Islam in Arab cinema / Ehab Galal, 242
20 Can cinema slow the flow of blood? / Laura U. Marks, 252
PART 4. POLITICS OF IDENTITY
21 Political ideology and the shaping of modern Arab cinema / Andrew Hammond, 267
22 The problem of Palestine’s place in a globalized Palestinian cinema / Abeer Al-Najjar and Harris Breslow, 280
23 From the square to the screen: New subjectivity in post-Arab Spring Egyptian cinema / Eid Mohamed, Talaat Mohamed and Sara Al-Naimi, 297
24 Filmmaking shadows – The pitfall of Morocco as Hollywood of Africa / Waleed F. Mahdi, 312
25 Moroccan Amazigh cinema / Sheila Petty, 324
26 Moving the image: Film in the Arabian Gulf / Ildiko Kaposi, 338
PART 5. MIGRATION AND DIASPORA
27 Harragas: Algerian films about clandestine migration / Fatima Nabila Moussaoui, 351
28 Oppositional filmmaking in the diaspora / Irit Neidhardt, 360
29 English intrusions in and contributions to polyglot Emirati cinema / Doris Hambuch, 372
30 Sudan’s “diaspora” dilemma – Filmmaking amid the collapse of homeland / Bentley Brown, 382
PART 6. DIASPORIC VOICES
31 Egyptian cinema: Dreaming of a fugitive culture / Omar Kholeif, 389
32 Outsider tales / Jihan El Tahri, 396
33 Voices in exile / Maysoon Pachachi, 400
34 Home and back home / Nadia Shihab, 403
35 Film as a liminal space / Usama Alshaibi, 407
36 From stills to moving images: Stories of dreams, fantasies and hope / Lara Baladi, 410
37 Exploring cultural identity, representation, and creative boundaries / Mostafa Nagy, 415
PART 1. OVERVIEW
1 In the shadow of critique: Major themes of Maghrebi cinema / Ratiba Hadj-Moussa, 11
2 The story of Iraqi cinema: A dream shattered by political and economic tribulations / Irada Aljubori, 26
3 Filmmaking and film cultures on the Arabian Peninsula / Dale Hudson, 40
4 Development of the cinema industry in Egypt / Hala El Zahed, 60
5 Reimagining Sudan: Sufism, revolt, and national identity(ies)in film / Maha Bashri, 70
6 Cinema in the Levant / Reham Salah El Din, 82
7 Jordanian cinema: A burgeoning scene / Ebtihal Mahadeen, 94
8 Arab animation cinema: From sand to screen / Tariq Alrimawi, 108
9 The value chain of the film sector / Noha Mellor, 125
PART 2. GENDER REPRESENTATION
10 Gender representation in Algerian cinema / Saida Kheira Benammar, 137
11 Cassettes, cameras, and computers: The gendering of media in Arab narrative cinema / Anne Ciecko, 148
12 Fictive witnessing: Leila Kilani’s On the Edge and Kaouther Ben Hania’s Beauty and the Dogs / Suzanne Gauch, 160
13 Confused, rebellious, and depressed – Liberated women in Egyptian cinema / Noha Atef, 170
14 Marco: A Levantine queer encounter in London / Feras Alkabani, 179
15 Against “Double Erasure”: Women’s filmmaking in the aftermath of the uprisings in Yemen, Libya, and Saudi Arabia / Katty Alhayek and Eva Oseen, 192
16 The Gulf female gaze: Women filmmakers and the creative representation of sociopolitical issues in the GCC states / Suzi Mirgani and Maysaa Almumin, 204
PART 3. RELIGION
17 “Fly, Horses of God, and the gates of paradise will open for you” – Radicalization and terrorism in Moroccan cinema / Aziz Douai, 217
18 Religion, authority and morality codes in Arab cinema / Marlé Hammond, 227
19 From terrorist to pious believer: Depictions of Islam in Arab cinema / Ehab Galal, 242
20 Can cinema slow the flow of blood? / Laura U. Marks, 252
PART 4. POLITICS OF IDENTITY
21 Political ideology and the shaping of modern Arab cinema / Andrew Hammond, 267
22 The problem of Palestine’s place in a globalized Palestinian cinema / Abeer Al-Najjar and Harris Breslow, 280
23 From the square to the screen: New subjectivity in post-Arab Spring Egyptian cinema / Eid Mohamed, Talaat Mohamed and Sara Al-Naimi, 297
24 Filmmaking shadows – The pitfall of Morocco as Hollywood of Africa / Waleed F. Mahdi, 312
25 Moroccan Amazigh cinema / Sheila Petty, 324
26 Moving the image: Film in the Arabian Gulf / Ildiko Kaposi, 338
PART 5. MIGRATION AND DIASPORA
27 Harragas: Algerian films about clandestine migration / Fatima Nabila Moussaoui, 351
28 Oppositional filmmaking in the diaspora / Irit Neidhardt, 360
29 English intrusions in and contributions to polyglot Emirati cinema / Doris Hambuch, 372
30 Sudan’s “diaspora” dilemma – Filmmaking amid the collapse of homeland / Bentley Brown, 382
PART 6. DIASPORIC VOICES
31 Egyptian cinema: Dreaming of a fugitive culture / Omar Kholeif, 389
32 Outsider tales / Jihan El Tahri, 396
33 Voices in exile / Maysoon Pachachi, 400
34 Home and back home / Nadia Shihab, 403
35 Film as a liminal space / Usama Alshaibi, 407
36 From stills to moving images: Stories of dreams, fantasies and hope / Lara Baladi, 410
37 Exploring cultural identity, representation, and creative boundaries / Mostafa Nagy, 415
