VIOLENCE AND ARMS CAN NEVER RE- TODAY IN QUOTE SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF MEN. 1492 1884 1904 1948 HISTORY OF THE POPE JOHN PAUL II Christopher Colum- European Colonization and trade in King C. Gillette pat- Mackenzie King retires after DAY bus notes 1st record- Africa is officially regulated at the inter- ents the Gillette razor 22 years as Prime Minister of ed reference to to- national Berlin Conference, formalizing blade Canada FRIDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2019 bacco European powers “Scramble for Africa” LIGHTS-CAMERA-ACTION VINTAGE Saudi filmmaker Gaza man wheels and deals to Haifaa Al-Mansour restore classic cars Munir al-Shindi returns with “The is known for his obsession with old-fashioned Perfect Candidate” cars, fixing them up in Al-Mansour’s film, “The his workshop Perfect Candidate,” made northeast of its debut at the Venice Film Gaza City Munir Shindy, a 40-year-old Palestinian who restores old cars as a hobby, works on a 1946 Armstrong Siddeley at his workshop in Gaza City Festival on August 29 AFP | Gaza His aim is to make driving the car feel as close to the original as possible. unir al-Shindi could not get He bought the Armstrong for around parts for his classic cars in the $3,000 from a man who had owned it for A scene from the film Wadjda Mblockaded Gaza Strip, so he more than 20 years. decided to fashion his own solution. He estimates it will cost at least anoth- The 40-year-old is known in the Pal- er $10,000 to transform it into a working Arab News | Dubai in male-dominated societies. “The Per- The film made history as the first estinian enclave for his obsession with automobile. fect Candidate” is no different. film supported by the Saudi Film old-fashioned cars, fixing them up in his “The car was empty. Slowly I am work- aifaa Al-Mansour has “It’s feminist, it’s about empowering Council, which announced its workshop northeast of Gaza City. ing to complete it.” long led the way for woman, and it gives them a chance to intention to back Saudi Arabian Parts for such models are hard enough Shindi dreams of travelling outside the HSaudi Arabian cinema. believe in themselves and think that productions and expand the to find in the countries where they were strip to show off his cars but knows it is Her 1997 short film “Who?” and they could run for office and get in- originally built, but in Gaza, cut off by an nearly impossible. the 2005 documentary “Women volved in politics in Saudi Arabia. I country’s film industry during Israeli blockade, they are near impossible Israel has imposed a decade-long in the Shadows” helped boost the was nervous at the time, but since then, the 2018 Cannes Film Festival to obtain. blockade on Gaza, which it says is nec- women’s empowerment move- they have proved (that right). I think “My hobby is vintage cars but it is dif- essary to isolate the strip’s Islamist rulers ment across the region. In 2012, her the social reform in Saudi Arabia is ficult because of the blockade.” Hamas -- with whom the Jewish state film “Wadjda” was the first feature to amazing. When you empower artists, “I tried to search the internet for car has fought three wars. be shot entirely in the Kingdom, going when you give funds to filmmakers, it parts but I couldn’t find them. So I man- Critics say it amounts to collective on to achieve worldwide acclaim and makes a nation really stand out. I think aged locally,” said Shindi. punishment of the two million residents. Haifaa Munir Shindy works on a 1946 Armstrong Siddeley Al-Mansour in a nomination for Best Foreign Lan- that (is happening in) Saudi Arabia,” He worked in car renovation in the Even when the car is eventually purr- the shooting of Wadjda guage Film at the BAFTAs. As Saudi said Al-Mansour. “We’re going to see United Arab Emirates for 12 years and ing, which Shindi estimates will take around 25 miles (40 kilometres) north “It’s amazing. Vintage cars like this are Arabia’s film industry has developed a different Middle East. I’m so sure has got used to improvising. another couple of months, it will not be to south. part of history,” he said. “No one knows since, Al-Mansour has been a guiding of that.” He recently completed a Mercedes able to go far. Hossam Ayoub, a neighbour, came to this kind of car here. It’s something un- light towards the potential that it could Though it tackles serious issues. Gazelle from the 1920s and is currently Gaza is only 365 square kilometres, stare at the car. usual.” achieve. “The Perfect Candidate” is not solely a fixing a 1946 Armstrong Siddeley Hur- When it comes Al-Mansour’s latest film, “The Per- drama. It also highlights the humour of ricane. to art in Saudi, I fect Candidate,” made its debut at the Saudi Arabian people — something The Armstrong, he explained, was the Venice Film Festival on August that often gets overlooked. a British luxury car well loved by car think there is a 29. It has already made history as the “We have a great sense of humour enthusiasts. huge possibility first film supported by the Saudi Film that people don’t see,” Al-Mansour But even during its peak in the 1940s for younger Council, which announced its inten- said. “In film, we can show that — it’s it was not that popular, so original parts people to also tion to back Saudi Arabian productions something people will discover. Food of Saudi filmmakers to display how are not available. make money off and expand the country’s film industry too. Also, how in Saudi there is a huge truly diverse the country is. As such Shindi repurposes bits from of their films. during the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. distinction between what is public and “I think, in five years, we will see a other classic cars, often getting them It’s hard for us to Described as a comedic drama about what is private. In private, people sing, lot more female filmmakers,” she said. from Israel. a Saudi female doctor who goes against have fun, and are fluid. Once people go Haifaa Al-Mansour and the star of Wadjda “They will be younger than us, and survive as artists the traditional patriarchal norms in out they are reserved, because that is they will have, by our age, produced when there is no order to run for municipal election in the way the culture is. With film, you for a filmmaker, because you don’t want “When we did ‘Wadjda,’ we wanted a lot more, because they’ll have a lot Munir al-Shindi worked in car industry. I think the Kingdom, the film is something of will get a chance to see how people to worry about waiting for a visa for to keep a low profile,” she said. “We more opportunities. When it comes renovation in the United Arab it is different a homecoming for Al-Mansour, who are in private. This is the only way that six months. Things like this take a lot didn’t want to upset people because to art in Saudi, I think there is a huge Emirates for 12 years and has got now has worked mainly on international people can see who we are — by open- of burden away from the filmmaker so we were filming. I was really excited possibility for younger people to also used to improvising. He recently projects post-“Wadjda.” ing our heart through film.” you can focus on telling the story well. to go and have an open casting call make money off of their films. It’s hard HAIFAA AL-MANSOUR completed a Mercedes Gazelle Last year saw the release of two Though it has been less than a dec- “Saudi is now a real market. Before, in Saudi Arabia That is wonderful, for us to survive as artists when there is from the 1920s and is currently Al-Mansour projects. First came “Mary ade since “Wadjda,” Saudi Arabia has if you wanted to make a Saudi film, because there is a lot of talent and we no industry. I think it is different now. fixing a 1946 Armstrong Siddeley Shelley,” starring Elle Fanning in the changed greatly, which had many pos- the sales would be like a foreign film were never able to tap into it. (With “Art will become something people titular role of a biopic about the fe - itive effects on the filming of “The around the region, but now it’s going ‘Wadjda’), we were staying in a hotel in can actually work on and live off in Hurricane male author of the game-changing Perfect Candidate.” to be a real film market, which makes Riyadh waiting for people to tell other Saudi Arabia, which was not the case science-fiction novel “Frankenstein” “Saudi was difficult to shoot in be- people more interested in financing the people who knew someone who knew before. Art was not respected. People in the 19th century. Next, Al-Mansour fore,” Al-Mansour said. “Visas took a film, investing in the film, and being a someone through someone. Having an did not look. People didn’t have that directed “Nappily Ever After,” a Netflix long time, the accessibility of places part of it, because Saudi is a real market open casting call changes a lot.” kind of appreciation for it.