Even though the Oscars are over, there is still time to catch one last nominee thanks to the Arabic Film and Poetry Series. The ASU Council for Arabic and Islamic Studies will be hosting a screening of “Theeb” on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union, room 224.
A committee of professors from the Arabic faculty come together to select the works that are presented each semester. The series has been running for four semesters and features award-winning films and poetry from many Arabic cultures. The poetry nights also give students an opportunity to share their own writing in either Arabic or English.
Professor Neimeh Mousa, faculty member in the Arabic department, will be providing a lecture to drive scholarly discussion ahead of the screening of “Theeb.”
“The film is centered around a young Bedouin boy named Theeb living in the Middle East during World War I,” she said. “‘Theeb' is a coming-of-age film in which he is forced to survive in the Wadi Rum Desert as the Great Arab Revolt approaches the Middle East."
The film didn’t just receive an Oscar nomination in the best foreign-language category, it also played at many international film festivals and earned near-universal critical appraise.
Professor Souad Ali said the series isn’t just for Arabic speakers and promotes a better understanding of the world’s cultures. Yet, she said she notices that the series especially benefits the students in the Arabic Studies program and their understanding of the language.
“The purpose of the Arabic Film and Poetry Series is to introduce the ASU and Arizona communities to cultural aspects of Arab society and culture through film and a rich variety of classical, contemporary, modern Arabic poetry,” she said. “This includes screenings of important Arabic films rarely shown in the U.S., as well as forms of recitation and analysis of Arabic poetry.”
One of the important films screened earlier this semester was “Wadjda.” It was the first film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia, where the cinema industry is very small. In fact, there is only one IMAX theater in the whole country which shows mostly American documentaries.
The Arabic Language and Culture Club works with the committee of professors to promote and organize the series. Brieanna Griffin, president of the club and senior studying global studies and anthropology, discussed the importance of embracing unfamiliar cultures.
“I personally believe Arab culture is beautiful and steeped in tradition," she said. “Arab culture is often misunderstood in the U.S. which is largely due to Arab misrepresentation in the media. As university students, I feel very passionately that we have a responsibility to learn about the very diverse and increasingly interconnected and globalizing world we live in today.”
The screening of “Theeb” is free for ASU students and faculty. The last event of the semester is a poetry night featuring contemporary and modern Arabic poetry. It will be held on Wednesday, April 13 in the G. Homer Durham Language and Literature building, room 104 at 6 p.m.
Related Links:
Arabic Film & Poetry Series brings Islam, discussion to Tempe campus
Muslim Student Association looks to bring the poetry of Islam to ASU
Reach the reporter at tanner.stechnij@asu.edu or follow @tannerstechnij on Twitter.
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