An Emirati short film blows the lid off tradition and modern culture

Photo: One of the scenes from Amal Al Agroobi's film, Under the Hat

For Amal Al Agroobi, the content apart, the very act of making movies is about challenging stereotypes. The Syrian-Emirati filmmaker, who made her fiction debut at this year’s Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), trained as a scientist before trading microscopes for film cameras in 2012, and she’s been tackling taboo subjects since.

Under the Hat, which is being presented to buyers as part of the DIFF 2016 Cinetech library, is a short film in Arabic about a muezzin, or prayer caller, who loses his voice and finds a replacement in the frontman of a heavy metal band. Her previous feature, The Brain That Sings, looked at the prevalence and treatment of autism in Emirati children and contributed to improved legislation in the UAE for those with special needs. Even her debut film Half Emirati tackled the social impact of mixed marriages.

According to her, the subjects arise from the way she lives her life. “I encounter [stereotypes] every day,” she said. “I don’t make a point of challenging misconceptions; I just do because that’s the type of person I am.”

Photo: Amal Al Agroobi, Syrian-Emirati filmmaker

Inspired by the graffiti artist Banksy, Al Agroobi sees filmmaking as a tool to change the world. “I make films because I want to create impact. I’m sick of seeing the generic political Arab film, and I wanted Under the Hat to be different.”

Although it is just a quarter of an hour long, Under the Hat is just that kind of movie. The all-Emirati film, which premiered at the Malmo Arab Film Festival earlier this year, seeks to reconcile two mutually exclusive worlds while underscoring the commonalities between them, all through uncluttered frames and fresh, witty dialogue.

“I wanted to show that the modern young man was just as keen about religion, regardless of his personal interests in music, and that the traditionalist could equally be interested in the world of music regardless of his role and life path.”

SHOOTING PAINS

With that eyebrow-raising storyline, the film was naturally a difficult one to shoot despite it being largely government-funded.

“We hit hurdles at every turn; for example, at the script level, the Ministry of Islam couldn’t understand the specifics of the story even though we explained that it was fiction. To them, it seemed blasphemous that a young guitarist would perform the call to prayer and that the prayer caller would even accept taking a guitar from the young man,” she said.

That collision of the traditional and contemporary is an ongoing conversation that extends to almost every aspect of our society, particularly when it comes to Islam. Al Agroobi often finds herself examining this collision, she said.

Photo: One of the scenes from Amal Al Agroobi's film, Under the Hat

“I don’t believe one should sacrifice one’s beliefs and morals to satisfy those standing on the sidelines, as if waiting for applause. Yet, it seems this is the definition of ‘Islamic modernity’. The more ‘un-Islamic’ you become, i.e., take off your hijab, talk smack about others, drink, etc., the more acceptance you get from others, the more comfort you feel.”

For her, tradition and religion must be separated. While the former can evolve and change, the very definition of the latter requires it to be steadfast. “I think religion is a very personal thing, but I also believe a lot of people have it all wrong. Many believe that modern ideas mean that they’re forward-thinking in their practice.

“I suppose I’m interested in the core meaning of what it is and what it means to be a Muslim rather than the ‘he said/she said’ of contemporary society,” she added.

Photo: One of the scenes from Amal Al Agroobi's film, Under the Hat

Does that come down to the different nationalities of her parents, then? Is it natural for someone growing up with two dissimilar cultures to examine things from both sides? Or is it her training in neuroscience that puts everything under a microscope?

Al Agroobi believes that it’s nurture, not nature. “What had a great impact on me and my thinking was my upbringing. I was raised in Europe and taught to think with an independent heart and speak my mind.”

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