Selma Roth Saudi Gazette She would love to work with American actor Sean Penn or British film director Steve McQueen, who claimed this year's Best Picture Oscar for “12 Years a Slave,” although her films have little to do with the glitter and glamor industry in the States. “Filmmaking is always associated with Hollywood and entertainment. People need to see it is an art form,” is her opinion about her profession. Saudi filmmaker and actress Ahd Kamel and the “21,39 Jeddah Arts” initiative to celebrate and teach the public about arts joined hands at Jeddah's Gold Moor — home to two “21,39” group exhibitions — as part of these efforts to increase people's knowledge on different art forms. The result was a remarkable conversation between Kamel and Saudi Gazette reporter Roberta Fedele about Kamel's personal life, the Saudi film scene, and social issues in the Kingdom. A filmmaker who happens to be Saudi Kamel, who prefers to be known only by her first name Ahd, studied acting and filmmaking in the United States, but this was not the reason she moved there initially. “I always thought I wanted to be a lawyer,” says Kamel about the reason she attended law school at Columbia University in New York. However, after one semester she hated it so much she decided to quit and went to art school instead to do animation. In hindsight Kamel realizes it was the performing part that had attracted her so much to the profession. For her thesis, she had to make a 20-minute animation film. Instead, she chose to shoot a documentary with only some animation aspects, according to herself “out of laziness.” She then knew that she wanted to be an actress and director and obtained a degree in directing at the New York Film Academy. It is difficult not to think that the international attention she currently attracts with her short movie “Sanctity” is at least partly because of her being a Saudi female filmmaker. But Kamel is not bothered by this. “It's about time to have the spotlight on this part of the world,” she remarks composedly, saying she does not consider herself “just Saudi,” but rather as an “artist who happens to be from Saudi Arabia” and hopes to be seen that way by others as well. Helping people to make up their mind Being from Saudi Arabia nevertheless left a clear mark on Kamel's life and work. Her movie “Sanctity” tells the story of a pregnant and poor widow and how she survives in Jeddah without a man around, surrounded by an importunate brother-in-law and a society that judges her every move. Kamel herself came back from the United States as a divorced single woman and an orphan. Fortunately, she has four supportive brothers, but the issue of guardianship certainly plays an important role in her life. As Kamel describes it herself, “'Sanctity' was born out of frustration, and I am privileged.” Areej, the film's central character played by Kamel herself, portrays an immense strength despite her situation. Showing this strength, or “endurance,” as Kamel calls it, is the main reason she shot the film, and not to criticize the Saudi society or the difficulties women here endure. “I am not the kind of artist that wants to present an issue through art. I want to make people make up their mind,” is her answer on what she thinks about using art to change society. Making people think and make up their mind is also why she chose to bring to the screen the fragile segments of society — women, immigrants — and leave the end open. “Sanctity” was not the first movie she acted in. In 2012, Kamel played a major role in “Wadjda,” a movie directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour about a 10-year-old girl living in Riyadh who dreams of having a bike, something her mother — and perhaps society at large — does not accept. Kamel plays the evil role of Wadjda's teacher and says to be “very proud to be part of the film.” While Kamel says to be just “creating dialogues” with her films, the topics she chooses do suggest a lot about her own vision. While she thinks women in the Kingdom have done a lot, and their role in society is changing, the filmmaker thinks they need to push a little more and feels like “we live in a jungle” when people talk about women having to cover up, in fact making them responsible for the thoughts these men may develop in their head when they see an uncovered woman. Perhaps growing up with four brothers and her experience in other countries made her realize societies without segregation can work. Challenges in a conservative society Being a Saudi female filmmaker might work to her advantage abroad, in the Kingdom it is often frowned upon. Kamel believes it is because filmmaking is not part of our culture. And Hollywood is to blame as well. People here associate cinematography with profane entertainment and the West. “We did not grow up with it. But I'm optimistic, because in 10 years we have come a long way,” she says, adding she hopes to be still alive when “Wadjda” and “Sanctity” will be screened on Saudi TV. “I'm hopeful,” she repeats, while advising aspiring filmmakers to “just do it.” Though she admits she had to fight hard for it, despite being in the States and having the possibility to get a degree in filmmaking. The biggest challenges she faced when shooting “Sanctity”, however, had nothing to do with negative reactions from residents in Jeddah's Al-Hindawya district, where the movie was shot, or the fact that she is a woman director. To the contrary, the crew received very positive reactions from the residents. A major challenge was that, “except for the crew members, the rest were all locals. No one had ever acted in a film. But they stepped up,” she says. Another difficulty was that they had only seven days to shoot in this poor neighborhood with “a million illegal kids.” “Sanctity's” success is barely a year old, but at the moment Kamel is already working on another film, though she does not want to give away anything about it, not even when it will come out. “Soon enough,” is her reply. One may think such a busy woman has no life outside her work, but Kamel is also a fervent yoga practitioner. Yoga, which literally means ‘union,' has changed her life, she says. In the chaotic and unsettled life of a filmmaker, it is her only constant that keeps her grounded and sane. “It reminds me that life is a mystery to be lived,” Kamel, who sturdily believes in the law of attraction, adds, saying that getting a more flexible body was merely a positive side effect for her. The talk finished with a Q&A session, during which the audience had the chance to ask Kamel their burning questions. The mixed audience, ranging from diplomats to local schoolboys, was already a small achievement for the “21,39” organizers in their aim to spread the idea of filmmaking as a form of art.
