DEFENDING OUR PIONEERS: STRUGGLE IN JARASH IS THE FIRST JORDANIAN FILM

November 23, 2007

Recently, some Jordanian media outlets may have unintentionally
compromised historical accuracy in favor of sensationalism, when
reporting on Jordan's cinema history.

Some of these inaccuracies have begun to surface in regional media
and, to a lesser extent, international media.

This historical revisionism ignores the unique place of the film
Struggle in Jarash (1957) as the first feature film ever produced in
Jordan.

What makes this historical revisionism painful is that it takes place
in full view of some of the surviving pioneers of Jordanian cinema who
contributed to the production of Struggle in Jarash, as most have
passed away. These remaining pioneers are witnessing firsthand, at the
final part of their journey, the negation of their legacy.

Jordan's leading film critic and cinema historian, Adnan Madanat,
jumps into the fray on the side of Jordan's cinema pioneers. In a
recent article, published in Jordan's leading newspaper, Mr. Madanat
wrote "Struggle in Jarash is the first Jordanian feature film."

At the Amman Filmmakers Cooperative, we wish to go on record in
support of Madanat's position. National memory and historical accuracy
should not take a back seat to marketing considerations.

It's simply a matter of fairness.

Respectfully,
Hazim Bitar
Founder & Coordinator
Amman Filmmakers Cooperative
http://JordanianFilms.com

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(NOTE: The English translation below is an abridged version of the full article which appeared in Jordan's Al-Rai newspaper)

THE FIRST FILM AND NATIONAL IDENTITY

By Adnan Madanat | November 23, 2007

Oftentimes, the national media celebrates the production of a feature film in a certain country not known for its cinema production by heralding the film as the country's First Film. But which film qualifies for the title of First Film.

This may seem like a simple question, but there is no easy answer, especially when questions are raised about the film's nationality and identity and to what extent did this film contribute to triggering a national cinema movement that was sustained later on, or whether it did contribute to the establishment of local cinema industry. And does this film have values, be it artistic, intellectual, or technical, qualifying it for historical relevance, or is it an orphaned experiment destined to be forgotten.

In a conference at the Ismailia Film Festival, this and other issues were raised by scholars debating the definition of First Films. Do we have a responsibility to acknowledge First Films as a historical milestone and respect their places in the national memory?

In the Arab World, at the behest of the 20th century, in Egypt for example, much of the filming was done by mostly Italians and other foreigners. In the western Arab World, it was also foreigners who started film production, be it fiction or documentary. Such film productions were not considered First Films inasmuch as they were viewed as colonialist-era products. In other countries, such as Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, First Films were purely local enterprises, albeit technically and artistically immature, made by enthusiasts who were passionate about cinema even though they have not fully mastered cinema production.

But not only did these pioneers not contend themselves with making the film; they manufactured their own production equipment and developed production techniques according to available recourses.

This was the case for pioneering Jordanian feature film Struggle In Jarash (1957), which was produced, directed, filmed, and acted by local independents. Some worked as projectionists in movie theaters, some artisans, others welding technicians, projection repairmen. Those were some of the skills that were employed in manufacturing film development gear, printing and cutting hardware, and sound sync system for the film.

Also, the Jordanian film Struggle in Jarash had a promotional movie trailer which was projected in various theaters before the screening of the film. This trailer contained documentary segments of Jordanian and Palestinian cities, which today have become an integral part of the audiovisual memory of those cities.

Struggle in Jarash is the first Jordanian feature film. It was funded by Jordanian funds through a company established by the filmmakers, each contributing 5 JD.

Note: Adnan Madanat is the leading Jordanian film critic and director of the Shoman Foundation Cinema Center.

Special thanks to Habib Mousa for the translation of the above article.

http://www.alrai.com/pages.php?news_id=183357

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FILM: STRUGGLE IN JARASH

Synopsis: A tourist develops a love affair with her father's friend
who is protecting her from gangsters.
Director: Wassif Sheik Yassin
Country: Jordan
Length: 95 min
Year: 1957
Script: Sameer Muta'we
Story: Fakhry Abaza
Cinematographer: Ibrahim Sarhan
Cast: Ahmad Ibrahim, Samia Habib, Wassif Sheik Yassin, Subhi Mustafa,
along with Amaal Izzat, Waleed Kurdi, Ali Abusabra, Ghazi Hawash,
Darweesh Maredi
Producer: Jordanian Film and Performing Arts Co.

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http://JordanianFilms.com