A TALE OF TWO SYRIAS at the GFT

This was the first public showing of the documentary by Yasmin Fedda , who managed , being a Lebanese citizen ( a place recognised by Syria as part of Greater Syria , including the revered Lebanese national poet Kahlil Gibran , who never mentioned the word Lebanon when writing his nationalist odes , only his beloved Syria) to gain access to film within the Assad regime just before the revolution started.

Glasgow was a befitting venue for this World Premiere as Yasmin gained her Phd and funding for a large part of this project from Edinburgh University here in Scotland.

The website for the films producers tells us "A Tale Of Two Syrias is a snapshot of life before Syria’s uprising began, seen through the eyes of two people; Salem, an Iraqi refugee and fashion designer in Damascus and Botrus, a monk in the remote hillside monastery of Mar Musa. This film is about their
dreams, discussions, and questions around freedom and choice in the year before Syria
descended into serious conflict."

"Generousity is a political act" is one quote from a protagonists in the film, giving a profound indication that religion , especially in Syria, is a force for good that can lead the ideological weight to encourage the main thrust for justice , equality and poverty alleviation in a deeply religious society fighting a modern day repressive regime.

Another noteworthy scene in the film is when there is a debate inside the monastery with with a mixed gender and age group.Some of the younger ones talk about progress and freedom in a manner which follows the Western ideal they have seen in films and media , almost to the point they can only express themselves in a Western language on themes of self-expression and innate values , hope comes from the priest and some other wiser heads of the young who intuitively realise that genuine freedom can only come if it is a self-engendered Syrian Freedom that comes from the heritage and historical experience from Syria itself , not simply imitating a model from an alien source with differing historical roots.

One important revolutionary aspect Fedda was keen to relate in the Q&A session after the screening was the advanced role of Woman and how their voice is heard and respected at all levels of debate on the present and the future.

Despite the newness of the film one very decent review has already come out , you can see it in this link. 

"Through these glimpses into two very different lives, Fedda illustrates a nation built from interwoven narratives that defy the simple categorisations placed on it by outside observers. The hopes, needs and emotional depth of her subjects remind us how many more stories there are still to be told. They will make your heart break over the country's current suffering but inspire you with hope for its future. Though we see hints of the brutality to come, we also see landscapes of breathtaking beauty, and the score, largely composed of traditional songs, is full of yearning."

One of the most powerful weapons in shaping Syria post and pre-revolution is the traditional unsurpassed role of the Poet as the articulater of the national voice of yearning and call to action.

This Al-Jazeera programme in the series "Poets of Protest" features the Syrian Poet Hala Mohammed:

Renowned and outspoken Syrian poet Hala Mohammad explains how she thinks poetry is central to the political change under way in the Middle East.

You can see more work from Yasmin Fedda in this link of her previous projects.