the modern man after he has cleaned up in the evening, and sat down, still want to watch a five and a half hour documentary film from Iraq is unlikely. For something he has really no time, even if “Homeland (Iraq Year Zero)” by Abbas Fahdel sounds quite exciting. The Director documented the everyday life of an Iraqi family, and after the American Invasion of 2003, and won the main prize at the Visions du Réel 2015.
But what is the Consumer doing today instead? For example, the U.S.-agent series “Homeland”, and before he knows it, he has seen five hours, because he wanted to know what happens in the next few episodes.
A madness-Chronicles
In contrast to the cinema experience series put on an “all-too-familiar appetizers logic,” writes John Binotto in the program text to the series “Really long”. This is the title of the cinema Xenix shows in January, five more recent movies – from “Elephant Sitting Still” from China (almost four hours) up to “Norte, the End of History” of the Philippiners Lav Diaz (about four hours). The long duration can develop only in the cinema hall really, because only there is the sense of time changed – well, Yes, in the cinema, we are not focused consistently, and with the thought of perhaps somewhere else entirely.
Much important is, that “Homeland (Iraq Year Zero)” is actually see in a movie theater, so there are basic and time to take an afternoon time for the madness of this chronicle of the Iraqi society. In the first part, “Before the fall”, accompanied Abbas Fahdel brothers, brother-in-law and nephew in Baghdad during everyday activities, which are already under the impression of the expected Invasion. In the small TV pop video clips of Saddam Hussein, Hero of the people, while the children questions whether the Scotch Tape, the beats has been protected in the Iraq-Kuwait war, the window vibrations caused by bomb-no, still not good enough for the new war (there’s a similar mood in the British film “Hope & Glory” about a Childhood in London, is attacked by the German air force, of all things, then, as outside in the nice weather).
Until the other eye gets
“After the fall”, the second part, records the everyday life after the US Invasion; the army is now part of the city image, the Humvees rolling through the streets, in front of the national Museum of a tank. “Homeland” shows the huge extent of the destruction: facades with huge impact holes on the ground, debris is everywhere. The people gather and talk to the camera: Where do we get food, where to work?
With the raw material from the occupied country, Abbas Fahdel shows the life in the streets, because the policy here is always practical. The time that the Film takes and the you spend with the people causes, we may have to you soon a different Feeling. Even if you wish for the dictator, we listen to you. Alone through the duration we have been shuttling us to a different perception and a foreign country came a good deal closer. Since we then have to do the other eye.
“Really long”: Up to 30. January in the cinema Xenix in Zurich.
(Tages-Anzeiger)
Created: 03.01.2019, 11:18 PM
