Solidarity

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Solidarity
Introduction
Films and novels are creative tools that can play a vital role in highlighting social, political, and economic issues that humans face. Put differently, these tools can be used for entertainment purposes while at the same time challenging or raising questions about deep societal issues that are told through compelling human-interest stories. An example is the list of five films and a novel, which narrate the stories from a feminist perspective and portray women standing up for their rights and freedom. Even though the women in the said stories face many challenges, they are keen to overcome their struggles in male dominated societies.
Inch’Allah Dimanche
Inch’Allah Dimanche, whose equivalent English translation is Sunday God Willing, is a film set in 1974, a period when the French government gave a leeway to those working in France to be joined by their families through legal immigration. An example is the family of Zouina, a woman who traveled to France with her children to join her husband (Benguigui). Upon arriving in the country, however, she realizes that her husband does not allow her to explore the country as she had earlier thought, and she is confined to the house. Zouina does not have any friends, and even worse, her intimidating mother-in-law constantly scrutinizes her moves in the house, making sure she does not go outside the house (Benguigui). Zouina’s only reprieve is on Sundays, just as the film’s title suggests when her husband takes the family out.

More importantly, the film highlights the position of women in the Algerian family and a woman’s struggle for freedom.
The struggle for Zouina’s autonomy comes in two forms. First, Zouina is keen to free herself from her domineering and abusive mother-in-law, who orders her around and constantly mistreats her. Second, she struggles to find contact and interact with the outside world. She becomes rebellious and eventually develops behaviors that are considered contrary to the patriarchal Algerian society. These behaviors include listening to radio programs that raise questions about the French culture, going out on three successive Sundays, and attempting to apply make-up (Benguigui). Zouina also expresses anger towards her mother-in-law. Her break from the authoritarian past is an illustration of her newfound freedom and the consequent emergence of a feminist order that Zouina epitomizes. It may be argued that the film tells a story of triumph over oppression and Zouina goes an extra mile to make her freedom self-evident.
Honey and Ashes
Honey and Ashes is a story about three women from Tunisia whose paths cross because of the challenges they face in their lives. These women are Leila, Naima, and Amina. Leila is a young woman in her 20s who is secretly having an affair with Hassan. The reason Leila must keep the affair a secret is that her father is a strict and traditional Muslim man who is a product of the patriarchal order that dominates the Muslim culture (Fares). On one occasion, some men see Leila kissing and embracing Hassan on the beach. The men later tried to rape her because they considered her an immoral and loose woman, but she escaped with the help of a middle-aged doctor called Naima, who picked her by the roadside (Fares). Naima had been a medical student in Moscow and was deeply in love with her Russian lover. Even so, this love never blossoms as Naima is forced to return home to marry another man in a marriage prearranged by her parents.
Naima also meets a woman called Amina at her workplace, who had been a victim of domestic violence by her husband. Most importantly, the film silently protests against the the rampant and perpetual oppression of women in Muslim-dominated communities. Even though the women are caught between the challenges espoused by modernity and tradition, Naima emerges as an independent-minded woman, keen on socializing her daughter in a manner that is healthier, holistic, and completely detached from patriarchy (Fares). The championing of women’s rights by Naima is the film’s way of condemning the subjective practices of the Muslim culture, especially looking down on the role of women, and depriving them of their freedom and independence.
Miral
Miral is a film about a young Arab woman that is in conflict with many factors, including her struggle for freedom. Miral, which suggest the name of the Arab woman, grew up in Jerusalem during the tense time of the Intifada. Part of the struggle she confronts is her protective father who wanted her to keep off from political activism. Hind, Miral’s mentor and the administrator of an orphanage where she spent most of her childhood, also supports these sentiments. Both Hind and Miral’s father urge her to drop her activism and focus on education (Schnabel). However, Miral finds herself unable to decide whether to follow her education ambitions or focus on her lover, an activist for the Palestine Liberation Organization. The film also highlights the story of Miral’s mum, who flees an abusive marriage and ends up in an Israeli prison. Miral’s mother meets a woman called Fatima while in prison. Fatima is serving a life sentence for trying to detonate a bomb (Schnabel).
Although Miral highlights the Israel-Palestine conflict, its principal goal is to expose the patriarchal society of Palestine. Most of the acts that some Palestine men commit in the film are directed against women and include rape, marrying off their daughters, and desiring women. On the other hand, women ware depicted as liberals who are fighting for their position in the male-dominated society through acts such as rejecting forced marriages. Characters such as Hind also solidified the role of women her nonviolent teachings (Schnabel). The idea that she championed for the girl child education was outstanding because such an endeavor empowered women to be independent in thoughts and actions and gave them the courage to talk about practices such as rape and forced marriages.
Satin Rouge
Satin Rouge follows the life of Lilia, an Arab widow whose life predominantly revolves around her young daughter called Salma. One night, while she is out looking for her daughter, she comes across a belly dance event in a nightclub and even though she is hesitant to familiarize herself with the cabaret because of her conservative culture, she finds herself constantly going back to the club (Amari). However, the main message Leila’s rediscovery of her sexuality and personal liberation through belly dancing. Even so, Lilia has to face many challenges in her journey towards her newfound self. For instance, Lilia, who shares the same house with her rebellious teenager and conservative in-laws, feels a strong desire to live in secrecy, especially concerning her nightlife (Amari). As such, she plays the grieving widow during the day and a liberal and erotic woman at night.
Lilia’s slow transformation towards her new passion commences when she observes Salma at one of her belly dancing classes and becomes distrustful of her having an affair with one of her the musicians. Lilia’s suspicions drive her to the underground cabaret where she discovers a completely new culture of belly dancing, with women scantily dressed and dancing seductively to a cheering crowd of male audiences. On the other hand, Salma is having a passionate affair with a handsome musician. However, Salma’s lover begins pursuing Lilia the moment she starts visiting the cabaret at night, completely oblivious to the fact that she is Salma’s mother (Amari). This film highlights a woman’s transformation from a shy and naïve homemaker into a confident and radiant woman who takes pride in her sexuality that exposes her to a fuller life.
The Story of Zahra
The story of Zahra is a novel that tells two stories concurrently: the war in Beirut and that of Zahra’s liberation. Zahra’s story is more striking because it details her struggle to free herself from the disturbing thought of her family deception and abuse. Her story is also that of liberation amidst the war in Beirut. Deception is evident in the story and can be seen in the acts of Zahra’s mother, who uses Zahra to cover up her clandestine affairs. Zahra’s father batters her because he suspects that she is part of her mother’s deceit (Shaykh 11). This act affects Zahra to the extent that she suffers from emotional withdrawal and engages in a meaningless liaison with a married man. Zahra faces many patriarchal based struggles. She becomes defiant to her father’s patriarchal attitude in silence, and her only place of refuge is the bathroom, where she can hide from the challenging life she lives in.
Zahra ponders about many questions. For instance, she does not understand the reason one of the restaurants is not affected by the turbulent war in Lebanon (Shaykh 130). Even so, Zahra finds her voice in the war. She becomes passionate about being part of the male-dominated war environment. For instance, assumes a key role by embarking on the exploration of the world that is outside her comfort zones. She volunteers at the hospital and confidently persuades a sniper to start a relationship with her. Her acts of service were a new form of independence and departed from her mother’s submissive nature.
Rachida
Rachida is a moving story about a young girl in her twenties who doubles up as a schoolteacher in Algeria. The film is set at the height of terrorism attack in the 1990s and the subsequently canceled election led by the army. The country is immersed in waves of civil wars that have affected the nation, leaving her detached from the post-political era (Bachir). On her way to school one morning, Rachida’s former student stops her and forces her to carry a bomb meant to be detonated at the school. When Rachida refuses, the student shoots her in the stomach, but she survives (Bachir). Following this incident, Rachida lives in isolation because she fears that the terrorists will retaliate for her defiance. More importantly, the story tells the struggles of Rachida in the wake of terror, and she strives to overcome the challenges and fear.
Conclusion
Inch’Allah Dimanche, Honey And Ashes, Satin Rouge, Miral, The Story of Zahra, and Rachida have different story lines, but they highlight the common theme of women’s empowerment. Even though the women in the stories face different struggles, the foundation of their empowerment is based on rising against patriarchy that dominates their communities and cultures. For instance, Zouina became rebellious and adopted behaviors that go against a patriarchal Algerian society such as listening to provocative radio programs about feminist awakening. Admittedly, the films and novel play an important role in highlighting the different struggles these women in patriarchal societies face and how they espouse different coping strategies to overcome them.
Works Cited
Honey and Ashes. Directed by Fares, Nadia. CTV Production,1996.
Inch’Allah Dimanche. Directed by Benguigui, Yamina. Bandits Long-ARP Production, 2001.
Miral. Directed by Schnabel, Julian. Pathé, 2010.
Rachida. Directed by Bachir, Yamina. Arte France Cinéma, 2002.
Satin Rouge. Directed by Amari, Raja. Agence Nationale de Promotion de l’Audiovisuel, 2002.
Shaykh, Ḥanān. The Story of Zahra. New York: Anchor Books, 1994. Print.