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• Princess Diana film slammed by critics

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  Dr. Nilgün Birgören    Premium Member   Group moderator

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  Princess Diana film slammed by critics

  More than a decade after her tragic death in a car crash in Paris, Princess Diana of Wales continues to arouse curiosity and posthumous speculation. The latest insight is provided by Enas Al Deghadi, an Egyptian director known for her controversial films about sexual oppression of women and religious intolerance.
  
  In her latest film Majnun Amira (Obsessed with the Princess), Al Deghadi tackles the West's negative stereotyping of Islam and the clash of civilizations through a fantasy inspired by Lady Diana. Majnun Amira, being played at Egyptian theatres, tells the story of Ebrahim, played by the actor Moustafa Haridy in his first lead role, a young worker at a souvenir shop, who is obsessed with Princess Diana. His room and motorbike is decorated with her pictures.
  
  His life takes a sudden turn when he runs into a tourist who bears a striking resemblance to Princess Diana. The tourist, played by Syrian actress Noura Rahal, is a Danish journalist named Christine. He acts as her tour guide of Cairo where aspects of Islam are deliberately captured and displayed by the filmmakers camera. Ebrahim's relationship with Christine comes to an abrupt end when she disappears. Ebrahim's obsession is, however, rekindled when he learns that Princess Diana is making an official visit to Egypt. He stops at nothing to see Diana, who is presented as increasingly interested in Islam. He even saves her life from an assassination bid unleashed by agents for the Buckingham Palace disguised as Muslims sporting beards.
  
  Al Deghadi, the director, says that her film is not a retold story of the late Princess of Wales, but seeks to shed light on the clashes between faiths and civilisations. It is a call for the creation of a civil society where superficial piety does not exist. She depicts religion as something reduced to appearance. Al Deghadi had reportedly approached Egyptian business tycoon Mohammad Al Fayyad, whose son Dodi was killed in the car crash with Diana, before making the film. He allowed her to go ahead with the film, provided she would not tackle his sons affair with Diana.
  
  According to film critic, Zakaria Hassan, Manjun Amira lacks originality. He says Al Deghadi attempts to bite off more than she can chew and is too focused on cliches surrounding Western perceptions of Islam.
  
  • 08 Oct 2009, 11:31 pm
  Dr. Nilgün Birgören wrote: > More than a decade after her tragic death in a car crash in Paris, > Princess Diana of Wales continues to arouse curiosity and posthumous > speculation. The latest insight is provided by Enas Al Deghadi, an > Egyptian director known for her controversial films about sexual > oppression of women and religious intolerance. > > In her latest film Majnun Amira (Obsessed with the Princess), Al > Deghadi tackles the West's negative stereotyping of Islam and the > clash of civilizations through a fantasy inspired by Lady Diana. > Majnun Amira, being played at Egyptian theatres, tells the story of > Ebrahim, played by the actor Moustafa Haridy in his first lead role, > a young worker at a souvenir shop, who is obsessed with Princess > Diana. His room and motorbike is decorated with her pictures. > > His life takes a sudden turn when he runs into a tourist who bears a > striking resemblance to Princess Diana. The tourist, played by Syrian > actress Noura Rahal, is a Danish journalist named Christine. He acts > as her tour guide of Cairo where aspects of Islam are deliberately > captured and displayed by the filmmakers camera. Ebrahim's > relationship with Christine comes to an abrupt end when she > disappears. Ebrahim's obsession is, however, rekindled when he learns > that Princess Diana is making an official visit to Egypt. He stops at > nothing to see Diana, who is presented as increasingly interested in > Islam. He even saves her life from an assassination bid unleashed by > agents for the Buckingham Palace disguised as Muslims sporting > beards. > > Al Deghadi, the director, says that her film is not a retold story of > the late Princess of Wales, but seeks to shed light on the clashes > between faiths and civilisations. It is a call for the creation of a > civil society where superficial piety does not exist. She depicts > religion as something reduced to appearance. Al Deghadi had > reportedly approached Egyptian business tycoon Mohammad Al Fayyad, > whose son Dodi was killed in the car crash with Diana, before making > the film. He allowed her to go ahead with the film, provided she > would not tackle his sons affair with Diana. > > According to film critic, Zakaria Hassan, Manjun Amira lacks > originality. He says Al Deghadi attempts to bite off more than she > can chew and is too focused on cliches surrounding Western > perceptions of Islam.