Edit: I tried to expand the thoughts I jotted down here in a longer format

“and then it shrinks.”

Forgive me as this probably sounds like a huge stretch and I’m likely only thinking about it because of my love for both directors but I can’t help but be reminded of the work of Andrzej Żuławski… something I really connect to in much of his films is how he seems to have his characters externalize their thoughts, feelings, etc—everything that…

really a fascinating movie. to work within the framework and aesthetics of dominant western filmmaking (especially taking war films as a whole into perspective), from the operatic scope and melodramatic beats signaling hope and grief all the way down to the way the entire film is shot and of course the cast of international white stars rather than actual libyans, and repurpose the toolset for a film in celebration of resistance against colonialism by any and all means necessary. i'm…

The intro to the restored copy of the film uses very strange, even derogatory language towards the conditions of the people in Oman before the people’s revolution... “archaic”, “primitive”, “the Stone Age.” It almost feels penned by a liberal. Luckily the film itself isn’t marred by this language, instead asserting a revolutionary ideal more in line with the reality that contextualizes the situation: underdevelopment, impoverishment, purposeful manipulation of tribalism, etc. If Srour wrote this intro, as I’m assuming she did…