Thursday, July 26, 2007

A Lost Man - رجل ضائع


Trailer for the film a lost man




A lost man (Un Homme Perdu in French - رجل ضائع in Arabic) is a film by Danielle Arbid, this is her second feature film and the second one to be selected for the Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Realisateurs) at Cannes film festival 2007.
When she introduced this movie she said you'll like it or hate it, but can't be in between. Well, I believe that I fell in the "like it" category, because this film was great: the storyline was deep, acting and directing made the movie look pretty realistic, more than a documentary.

Something I didn't expect in the film, which I liked, was the way it shows the "underground" nightlife in the Arab world (Notably Jordan), this side of the Arab culture that no media talks about, a taboo subject that every body knows the existence but yet in denial !!! I appreciated as well the way Danielle attacked the problem of those who disappeared during the last civil war. Another thing is the way she integrated in her story two totally different persons, a French and an Arab, yet managed to show resemblance, something not that intuitive to detect.
I loved it, and I strongly recommend it.
It's due to be released in France in late 2007 or early 2008 (December - January)

Finally, I would like to note that the language of the film was a combination of Arabic and French (natural since the two leading actors represent different culture). The film contain as well around four erotic scenes, something we're not used to see in Arab (in particular Lebanese) movies. This was the reason I believe why the film wont be shown in Arab countries as the director stated. Something I found bad.

Update: Scenes and Trailer from the film were added.

Press Conference and Film projection with Danielle Arbid at Cannes 2007




5 comments:

omar said...

first off, I love your blog

secondly, it's quite interesting to see that she chose Jordan as the setting for her movie (since it's where i'm from). Why did she do that? Is the Arab character portrayed Lebanese or Jordanian?

I always wondered if it would be possible to go on a photography hike in those fishy night clubs in Amman! But they don't allow cameras in! (my photographer friend tried, lol)

Lebanese said...

Thanks for ur comment.

Actually, the film story goes not only in jordan, it passes from Lebanon, to Syria, then Jordan, then Beirut, and even Paris. The story isn't about Lebanese, or Lebanon, I found it rather comparing easter and western people. I found the film original. Wont describe more, would've been a spoiler otherwise. So better see it.

Fortunately, the director was present when I watched it. And from her comments, we understood that such scenes were filmed (after mimicking the decor) in Lebanon or France because of censorship in Jordan.

jimmy arbid said...

hello, thankyou for putting this up...
where can I locate the full version of this feature film?

Lebanese said...

You can find it at Amazon or Fnac, in a pack along with Arbid first feature In the battlefields.

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