Winds of Change: Cinema from Muslim Societies

Categorizing Islamic cinema is not easy, and analysis can prompt more questions than answers, as suggested by Sheyma Buali, for Arab News, in reviewing the Islamic film festival hosted by the Institute of Contemporary Art in London. The festival, “Winds of Change: Cinema from Muslim Societies,” explored the rich historical and cultural context of Islamic films. Films from Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt and Senegal, among others, tackle a range of issues including anti-colonial resistance, brutal regimes, ethnic struggles, the historic repression of women, underground art and the quest for religious simplicity in an ever-globalizing and commercial world. Buali states that the film festival thus “used religion as an unobtrusive lens to thoughtfully explore issues of revolution, change and resistance.” Muslim films defy media labels, and the festival opened with the existential question of whether or not there is a Muslim world. The festival reminded that Muslim politics and culture are diverse, evolving and carry global import. – YaleGlobal