NOOB FILM REVIEW - May Allah Bless France directed by Abd Al Malik
SYNOPSIS (from Wikipedia)
(French: Qu'Allah bénisse la France) is a French biographical drama film, released in 2014. The directorial debut of French hip hop musician Abd al-Malik, the film is a dramatization of his own childhood memoir Qu'Allah bénisse la France, which was first published in 2004. The film stars Marc Zinga as the young al-Malik.
REVIEW
FROM BEING REGIS TO AL-MALIK
The path for the protagonist fits Joseph Campbell's 'Hero's Journey' like a wedding ring. After losing his close brother, Samir in a street shootout, he had his "call to adventure" to change his fate. He first had doubts, yet after getting inspiration from his French Christian teacher (a 'mentor' figure), he got his heads up and resumed his journey.
Like he said himself from a quote which sounds something like "It is when you hit rock bottom, you experience God"
The path of a religious figure is incomplete without the symbolic journey across the sea as a sign of reaching enlightenment and also "crossing the threshold". He uses his gift of Hip-Hop as a medium to share his story and let others realize their own path.
The director uses some foreshadowing as he shares the scene where Regis arrives at the mosque gates early in the film, and exits as Al-Malik. Then he got to "the return" phase to change things and settle down.
"PLASTIK HITAM" (BLACK PLASTIC BAG)
We all know what our version of 'plastik hitam' means in this month of Ramadhan. In this film, their 'plastik hitam' contains something just as sinister. Drugs and cash transactions in the 'ghetto'. It is also where Al-Malik redeems himself by getting square at it with some earnings from his Hip-Hop recordings and concerts.
A happy ending. He got married to his long-time love (the "ultimate reward" wink2) in a very 'Christian' way, attended by women with their heads covered amongst other locals from the ghetto. The silent narrative says that all are equals in God's eyes. Al-Malik ends the film by saying "This is my prayer".
SOCIAL CRITIQUE
It is said after the screening, this film's narrative is quite similar to another 1995 Cannes black and white film called 'La Haine'. The title "May Allah Bless France" reminded me of the irony which comedian George Carlin has brought up with the phrase "God Bless America" which is actually a pair of middle fingers up to the establishment for using God for social fuck ups like the life in the ghetto. And God knows no man-made map boundaries.
God created us differently for us to know each other.
What will we discover when we finally know each other?
That we are all the same.
It is also said that this is a film about Sufism which also reminded me of 'Tiada Tajuk' by Mawi which a known film critic labeled as "Sufism for Dummies".
A fitting choice of a film and end to the Ramadhan slot organized by Pusat Kajian & Apresiasi Filem Wayang Budiman.
