america, amreeka

In recent years I’ve always been on the lookout for good films from different parts of the world (or at least about other countries, basta outside the premises of Hollywood). That’s why I found gems like Secretos de Sus Ojos (Argentina), The Soong Sisters (China), Le Petit Nicholas (France), Howl’s Moving Castle (Japan), Trade (Mexico), La Mome Piaf (France) and just recently Centurion (Britain). Syempre, lahat na-review ko na dito sa DS.  And now I have a new addition to that wonderful collection – Amreeka.

Although it was produced by a Canadian/American independent film outfit, Amreeka is authentically Arabic. Afterall, Cherian Dabis, the director, is a Palestinian American and her wonderful ensemble of actors is all of middle-eastern origin. Wala ditong big-named Hollywood actors na kasama. Puro never-heard ang starring and yet you’ll be amazed how good the acting came out.

It’s the story of Muna, a divorced mother and her 16-yr old son Fadi who lives in Ramallah. They had the fortune of getting a US visa. Noong una ayaw umalis ni Muna but for the sake of Fadi, she went ahead and took the opportunity. She left behind her mother, brother and sisters and a job in a bank where she worked for 10 years.

Just like any other immigrants, they were taken in by Muna’s sister Raghda who has lived in Illinois for 15 years with her husband Nabeel, a successful doctor, with their 3 girls, a nice house, a benz and generally a life most immigrants would dream of.

But of course starting anew in a foreign land is never a walk in the park. Pinakita doon yong mga hirap na pinag-daanan nilang mag-ina. Muna, despite her professional credentials, landed on a job in a burger house. And young Fadi had to cope not only with the culture shock, peer pressure and school bullies, but also with the growing racism against Arabs. Nagkataon naman na on-going ang Iraqi invasion (the film was set in 2003).

Bumabagsak na ang medical practice ni Nabeel dahil nag-lalayasan na ang kanyang mga pasyente simply because he is an Arab. Raghda is bent on leaving Illinois and returning to Ramallah. The good boy in Fadi seem to have disappeared at nag-iiba na ang ugali dahil sa mga dinadanas nya sa school. But Muna showed strength of character and as the film ended, alam mo na magiging successful din sya sa bago nyang buhay sa Amreeka, este America.

The film, despite the fact that it is treading on very sensitive political issues like xenophobia, didn’t try to veer away from its main purpose. Of course it had political undertones and statements scattered here and there pero dahil alam mong everything is being told from a Palestinian perspective, hindi mo mararamdaman na namumulitika yong pelikula. It didn’t come out preachy. At sa ending, ang makikita mo lang ay yong kwento noong mag-ina na umalis ng sariling bayan at nakipag-sapalaran sa America. Mga totoong tao, sitwasyon at kwento (now I have to mention na based on a true story pala ito).

It successfully gave us a picture of individuals’ lives marred by misconceptions, prejudices and branding that is commonly going on. Like hindi lahat ng arabs ay dapat i-associate sa terorismo. At hindi rin lahat ng amerikano ay may prejudice against Arabs. At kahit anong nangyayaring kaguluhan sa paligid, we’re all but human who faces the same challenges in lives. And what’s getting us through is the help, understanding and respect for each other.

I was impressed to learn na debut film pala ito ni Cherian. Not only was her directing superb pero pati yong script matino. The use of Arabic music is also very good. The cast, though relatively unknown outside the Arab world, all delivered strong performances. At syempre ang pinaka-malaking selling point noong pelikula ay yong poignant story na sya rin (Cherian) ang sumulat. It wasn’t too dramatic like a tearjerker soap pero tatama ng husto sa puso mo. At hindi mo agad makakalimutan yong mga characters na nakita mo on screen.

According to its website, it has already won worldwide critical acclaim as well as top honors in various film festivals like Sundance and the very prestigious Cannes. To top it all, binili ng National Geographic Entertainment ang rights nito kaya sila ang nagrelease nito commercially. And we all know National Geographic wouldn’t lend its name and credibility to something below par.

Kung ikaw ay katulad kong utang-uta na rin sa slambang CGI-enhanced films na walang katapusang sinusuka ng Hollywood, try Amreeka and the other films I mentioned at the start of this review. It will give you a wider, deeper perspective of cultures more interesting than what you’ve normally seen. At masasabi mong tama ako when I say that Hollywood doesn’t have the monopoly to quality films.

Alam mo ba kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng pangalang Matt sa Arabic? At kung ano ang origin ng phrase na Check Mate sa chess? Well, thanks to Amreeka, ngayon alam ko na!