Humans possess a unique and distinguished ability to tell stories, shaping unions, communities, patriotism, and belief systems accordingly, and generation after generation has shaped who we truly are. Egyptian director Hala Elkoussy, in East of Noon, narrates Abdo’s journey through her mesmerizing frames with the power of human storytelling and through East of Noon offers an allegorical interpretation of the contrast between control and freedom. The narrative takes place in two distinct settings: Sharq 12, a sandy enclave located within an industrial ruin, and the “Sea”, which serves as both a flowing landscape and a desired condition of liberation.
Several prestigious institutions, including the Tate Modern, the Stedelijk Museum, and the Bristol Museum of Fine Arts, currently house some of Hala Elkoussy’s short films in their collections. In 2017, she directed her debut feature film, Cactus Flower. Additionally, the Dubai Film Festival honored the artist with the Best Actress award. Now she has returned to participate in “CannesQuinzaine des Cinéastes,” or Directors’ Fortnight, with a piece of art through the medium of cinema.
East of Noon is a fable about a restricted world that exists outside of time. The story revolves around Abdo (Omar Rozik), a young prodigy who is 19 years old. Abdo rebels against his older authority figures, namely showman Shawky (Ahmed Kamal), who is 70 years old and rules through a combination of performance and fear, and storyteller Jalala (Menha Batraoui), who is 75 years old and offers solace through her tales of the sea, a place that remains unseen by others. East of Noon is a satirical portrayal of the internal mechanisms of a deteriorating autocratic regime, as well as its inherent susceptibility to the unrestrained aspirations of the younger generation for a superior society.
Jalala opens up the film, sitting down on a chair on the beach and narrating, “Once upon a time, there were frightened people. They were so frightened that their imaginations fled. They don’t know the ocean, but I do. I tell them about the sea, and they follow me.” Jalalal, Abdo’s grandmother, is the custodian of memory and myth. In a city without any proper clocks, these poetic narratives transcend time, hinting at the broader historical context of struggle and endurance that the inhabitants of the city are perhaps unaware of yet intrinsically bound to. Abdo finds solace and inspiration in her tales, and the mythical sea symbolizes both the unconscious and an infinite realm of possibilities, serving as the opposite of the physical city that confines them.
Abdo is a musician who sings loudly in his untidy apartment, projecting his lyrics. As he captures the audio of the nearby street market using his cassette player, we become aware of the significance of sound, voices, and words. These elements have the power to bring about revolutionary change, and Abdo’s song serves as the anthem of this rebellion. However, the film’s focus may not be primarily on the music, in contrast to Shawky’s performance. We see that Shawky is on stage, and he effectively manipulates the audience’s emotions through his acting. In the context of timelessness, the metaphor of the artistic dimension in cinema serves as a reminder of the influential role of art and music in revolutionary movements. Abdo is attempting to devise a means of extricating himself from this dystopian realm through his own invaluable existence. He consistently emphasizes that the treasure’s discovery is imminent.
It can be asserted that East of Noon features an exceptional cinematography exhibit. Each frame in the gallery tells its own story, confirming that Elkoussy’s artistic prowess may have contributed significantly to the film’s gratifying images. The decision to film the movie in black and white was not solely motivated by aesthetic considerations; narrative considerations also played a role in its development. Like how the dearth of color symbolizes the lifeless and lifeless atmosphere of the city, it also symbolizes the cruel realities that the protagonists are compelled to confront. The composition of every frame is skillfully executed, and the chiaroscuro effect enhances the visual impact of the narrative. The vibrant vistas of the ocean, conversely, while playing “According” are an incredible allure to the fictitious land in question. They evoke thoughts of the anthology of works entitled “Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow” compiled by Todoros Angelopoulos.
East of Noon’s research was supported by the AFK and the Mondriaan Fund. De Verbeelding, a collaboration between the Mondriaan Fund and the Netherlands Film Fund, has chosen the film. Fonds 21 provides financial backing for the film’s production. Support for post-production is provided by the DOHA Film Institute. In 77th edition of Cannes Film Festival, that many films compete with each other, East of Noon can bring out a new perspective of tyranny and the necessity of art, music, and cinema to escape or deafest it.
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