But most people DONT know their culture, so you'd think there would be a lot more interest.

Over the last 10 years, I've seen dozens of fiction movies made from Morocco all the way to Iran (and further), gpoing thru Algeria, Tunisia, a couple from Egypt, a few from Lebanon, and a surprising amount from Kurdistan (or about Kurdistan), a few Turkish and even a couple Kirghiz/Mongol films.

In western Europe, they are distributed in the A&E (arts & essays) movie houses and remains between 2 & 4 weeks, which means that one has to be quick in catching them.

But then again from the 40 to 70 movies/year I see in theatres (depending on the year), only 5% will be US/UK, as I favour Continental Europe (+/- 50%), the rest being Latin America, Middle Eastern and Far-Eastern movies (though I'm not much into Japan).

Though I write my movie reviews in French (well I +/- topped before the Covid lockdown and haven't returned to it), I post them in RYM and you can see them there under the Cooltrane username.

https://rateyourmusic.com/~CoolTrane

I know you said you had a tough time being interested in pre-70s movies, but do you remember any from the 70s? And do you remember even the titles pre-1970s?

no , I meant in general, not midlle-eastern movies.

All pre-70's movies (US or European)... or should I say all pre-65 movies.

They move at a camel's pace

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

The Wind and the Lion (1975)

Three Kings (1999)

The Hurt Locker (2008)

Carry On Follow That Camel (1967)

I know, but I chose those five films because they don't come with subtitles. 

should you if what you chose does not address the purpose of the thread? 

I just wanted the OP to know that Middle-Eastern-themed movies haven't been ignored by me. 

so you are answering a question he has not asked, basically... 

I think you are referring to 'The Mirror' Jafar Panahi's 2nd film, about a girl who isn't picked up from school, takes the bus home and suddenly says she doesn't want to act anymore, half way through the film... yes, it breaks the 4th wall really effectively and if Haneke had written it, it would be far better known.

Close-Up is a superb film which unites Makhmalbaf and Kiarostami, two of the key protagonists of the vibrant Iranian New Wave...

Ruben Oslund (Swe), Hirokazu Kore-eda (Jap) and Asghar Farhadi (Iran) are 3 of my favourite directors working today.... 

I have a feeling that "Carry On Follow That Camel" is probably not what the OP had in mind. 

That's the one, thanks!

"Close-Up" is great, but did you see "Taste of Cherry"? It's my favorite by Kiarostami, but I haven't been able to find a third great one. Don't remember liking "Where Is My Friend's Home?" too much, or this newer one that starts in some art gallery, museum, curating... in French.

I know Kore-eda (and was actually recommended by Ray Carney, who knows a lot - he has a few great web sites, too with recommendations, etc) and liked "Shoplifters" but don't know the other two, so I will make a note, and will do an automatic recording on my TV... Thanks!

 I've actually seen "The Salesman" and thought it was alright, but it definitely had a good blueprint. I tend to like movies about people, something unique. I think the writing is the biggest determining factor for me, and acting. I did do an automatic recording of all the directors and found them, including a couple of free movies by Oslund, although they have a ton of commercials, and will wait to see if they appear on cable.

Off-topic a bit, but have you seen the movie, "Buffalo '66"? I think it's one of the most unique (and best) movies I've seen, despite being simple without a ton of movement (most of the movie takes place in a couple of settings) and without things people associate with "unique" (CGI, "controversy", etc etc).

They're ignored. They're quite popular in the Middle East.

This question could be asked for any region of the world is cultural differences.

Why aren't Cambodian movies more popular?

How about South African?

Very simple. The industries with the biggest pocket books can spread their product around the world.

Personally i would love to know about some Middle Eastern classics because i totally love to immerse myself in completely unfamiliar terrain.

Likewise there is a wealth of Russian, Japanese and Eastern European films that are classics as well.

In Europe (and in NA), there is a small public for these "world films" in local A&E movie houses, but often the concerned film are not shown in the homelands because of

- censorship (I doubt Kurdish films are shown in Turkey , Syria, Iran or Irak, for ex) ,

- bad infrastructure and distribution

- or that the people save up whatever entertainment money for blockbusters, be they from Bolly and Hollywood.

I'll  try to make a list of "middle-eastern" movies that I've seen since the 90's (at least the ones I remember or find the names), but don't be in a hurry for this. (and they won't be "classics" in the sense that you're thinking of)

I can get you started on the amazingly poignant film starring the wonderful Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2875926/

"My Sweet Pepper Land" looks good. I'll try to find it. Thanks!

Yeah, small list of any flicks would be great.

About censorship. Come on. This is the age of the internet.

Anyone can download or acquire pretty much anything they want.

Therefore it's a matter of desire and that is what's lacking.

Europe is filled with immigrants from Middle Eastern lands.

There is a cultural segregation that many don't want to cross for whatever reason.

I have to admit that i just have not had the inclination to explore Middle Eastern films therefore the only barrier has been lack of curiosity.

Music however is another thing and i absolutely love Middle Eastern music of all forms.

Yes, I own 'Taste Of Cherry'... style wise, it's closest to 'The Wind Will Carry Us', made 2 years later, also a very rewarding film, although the main character is an acquired taste! His look at social issues for Women in Ten is highly original and was, out of necessity, later paid homage to by Panahi when he was serving a ban from film making (all his are worth seeing, btw).

The 'newer one' you are referring to is Certified Copy, which I thought was a bit contrived when I saw it at the cinema upon release, but really, it gets more and more slick with every subsequent viewing.

I won't go thru this in detail, but the first K film I saw was 'Still Walking' and I think it remains my favourite... very much in the Mizoguchi tradition...

Fahadi's best is still 'A Separation', but if you see 'About Elly' around, make a point of buying it...

Oslund's finest is 'Force Majeure' which is utterly toe-curling.

Sorry, I haven't seen Buffalo '66... it doesn't really sound like my thing, besides rightly or wrongly, I watch very few films in the English Language these days.

Plenty of Asian countries where internet is anything but free (and I don't mean £$€) and trying to do anything "free" can lead you in jail.

Those A&E movie houses have very little middle-easterners as clients... It's mostly upper-middle class whites and most resemble me or my GF.

Let's tart with a few from Tunisia - I'll start with the softies (comedies), and move on to the darker side of Carthago.

Hi,

That's really sad. Even my "surrogate" mom has that problem, but she has bad eyes and she's 85, but for 30 years, she won't watch films with subtitles, and she spent a lot of time in Europe (in Germany) and even those films did not interest her.

In the past 30 years, I have enjoyed many of these films in the Portland International Film Festival (PIFF) and in general, over the years? They still sell out all the American and English films, even though they will be available on DVD and such. But, Portland, had a love affair with Pedro Almodovar for almost 10 years, until they got bored with him! Other than that, the reviews I did were for all the far off films that always had barely half the theater to watch the films ... but the French and Italian films did well. and most of it would be the French contingent here in Portland (you could meet them all at both MAGMA concerts here ... you had a problem finding someone speaking English, including the person sitting next to you!

I spent the better part of 10 years writing reviews and telling folks (also did many program notes for the PIFF) that they should see the way out films in the Festival ... and still no one showed. There is a huge listing of many of these in my website ... because they are from everywhere.

Some notes to think about. Some of the countries control their film industry really heavy and hard, and thus, the only thing that we will (generally) find are films about individual details about a character and it stops there. The films rarely have a political or social detail and comment, to keep the censors away, and hope for the best. Some stuff, still gets out, and one that I remember really well, was a film "DIVORCE, IRANIAN STYLE" that was just one of the saddest things I have ever seen, and it makes everyone look bad and stupid, and it is really hard to not think that a system based on a religion is still that antiquated and senseless and careless about its own people and the abuses that this and that afford them. For us all westerners, it makes us dislike that system even more, and think it is not right ... and that (for me) just shows how they are living in a past that doesn't exist and they are afraid of the "now" and the "future", because it will date their ideas even more.

Some things over the years I have seen and advised people to see. I'll just list the countries.

Mozambique, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iran, South Korea, Vietnam ... and then the South American countries that also have the same problem here on the PIFF. Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico (take away a couple of directors that do it in English), Brazil, and a few other countries here and there. The numbers in the theater not only show a lack of interest, many times show a total dislike for the culture and its work. And the weird thing? The Latino communities here don't give a sheep dip! Or maybe those folks can't even afford to see these films ... I have no idea, but even the Mexico films have never been full or sold out that I have seen.

I think a lot of it, is the PIFF and its hierarchy. They feel the need to make money, and thus make sure that as many of the shows are sold out so they can maximize their intake, and hope that the bottom line does not end up hurting the festival and close it down. It can not lose money, since it is a part of the Portland Museum and its properties!

One other idea, and this is just an idea.

I think that American audiences, SPECIALLY are so focused on the "epic" blockbusters with the same theme and different heroes, to the point that they are not able to see anything that does not have the slick money that makes them feel like this was just another cheap college film by a student. AND this is a HUGE issue in many of these films, almost all of them done with minimum (if any!) money at all, and thus they can not and will not look as good as they could and they do not have the equipment necessary to make the film better, compared to the blockbusters with the best cameras, lighting and editing equipment!

This has been the "sad thing" about what is called a "global economy", which has become about how much the Americans can bring in from abroad, and how much the Chinese can take in from abroad. And China, is just as bad about censorship as many of the folks listed above, specially now that they control Hong Kong, and their movie industry has pretty much dried up and gone to heaven, or hell ... hopefully they left the country and can continue ... but you really think that a director from Hong Kong is going to find $10 dollars in Hollywood or New York?

Guess again! But Martin and others will take home their millions!

Hi

You are talking about "after the fact" and the film being made. The problem is not "AFTER" but "BEFORE", when the film makers can not get a script allowed to be filmed, and the censors will be around each corner to make sure they can shut it all down. 

Some still make it through, but many end up being finished elsewhere where they don't have to be interrupted or controlled. This was the case (and still is) in the Chinese film industry in the 90's when Yimou and others were coming up. The stories had to be "individual" and no suggestion about the political or social this or that ... because the film would not be allowed to survive!

There was an article, and I'm not going to list it on purpose, that one film maker tried to make sure he had a live internet connection so that everything he filmed was also saved and kept elsewhere. Guess what? His connection was killed (it became a fake connection) and he will never again make another film or write one, and likely will only be able to get a jog street sweeping. It's like a film story ... and you end up crying at the justice in it all ... 

I don't know that many of the Middle-Eastern and Arabic countries are as "open minded" about the work. In some situations, these religious systems don't even believe in the arts, and folks are not allowed to make films, for example, and you won't )likely) find a local theater doing something that is not just their own political propaganda. And we don't quite even call that "theater".

Having been a part of a fascist country, that spent its time making sure that reviews of American and European films in the late 40's and 50's, you should have seen some things ... Portugal and Spain ended up "sensitive" about its writers and artists (for the most part), but to give you an idea, a book has finally been published (gosh ... some 30 or 40 years ago!) which showed at least 30 reviews of various films, and how the censors cut up the reviews to that what you read in the newspaper, or otherwise, did not tell you much, and the interest in the film was not increased. AND, we're talking about the American Actor's Studio work, and a lot of the English film and theater work around the "angry young men" in the 50's. We all know, today, how massive those two period of film and theater were ... and sometimes, for me, seeing it yet again in so many countries ... makes me sad, and sometimes difficult to say something. Folks, today, can not relate to this history at all, and many  (specially here on PA) think it's all crap and not true. 

Is there a solution? 

I doubt it. I'm 71, and all I see is the same thing happen yet again, and another revolution where the group destroys all the arts and one even demolished a movie studio! The barbarism involved in some of this is something that scares me senseless. AND, although I don't think this is the reason in all situations, many of the films we find, fell through the cracks and made  it although, for my tastes it was pretty obvious that they had to tell a "child story" in order to prevent censorship and a shut down of their project.

I don't want those films ignored at all ... I would rather folks learned to ignore the huge money making films in Hollywood and give many of these a bigger and better chance. But in this day and age with people having to "conform" to the social everything, I'm not sure that things will change anytime soon ... the days of a Bergman, Fellini, Truffaut, Godard, Fassbinder and even Kurosawa ... are over ... the chance to see a film of that stature these days are almost over ... the media owns the films and they want the money ... why the f**k would they spend time talking about something they think is taking away their money? AND, worse, we don't even see that or realize what we have to do ... we have to go and agree with all our neighbors and watch the same films and tv!

Music has done way better in this respect than other wise ... and I think that the open-ness of the music business with its much better defined and less hit driven process, is the main reason. The film industry, still lacks that idea ... and the masses still don't see that there are others out there, just as good.

Out this week in Brussels in small A&E moviehouses:

Casablanca Beats (hollywood)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14773800/

latest Asghar Farhadi movie called Ghahreman

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11777738/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_1

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11697844/

Yet to watch it , but the war film Mosul (2019) looks very good.

Two more Morroccan films

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7216256/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10199664/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3

From Algeria

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9522080/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

From Kurdistan:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6704880/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

from Turkey:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3966404/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

From Lebanon

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8267604/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7048622/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

From Tunisia

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10749760/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10888514/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

From Egypt

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5540188/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

from Palestine

https://rateyourmusic.com/film/bar_bahar/" rel="nofollow">Bar Bahar [In Between]

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5974388/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

========================

from Mongolia (yeah, not exactly middle east anymore)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9581172/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103176/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

From Kirghizstan

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5612426/?ref_=nm_flmg_asst_1

From Buthan

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10189300/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

From Nepal

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3638644/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1

From Tibet (not China)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8836292/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Himalaya l'enfance d'un chef (this one is mega heartening)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210727/" rel="nofollow">Himalaya (1999) - IMDb

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499238/?ref_=tt_sims_tt_i_2" rel="nofollow - Milarepa (2006) - IMDb

I'm trying to find a website, or two, that will have more of these films. Things like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and the "big ones" are worthless and most of the stuff they have is 2nd rate crap, and their listings are always aimed at their productions, and commercial products, so they can get more attention to their worth. I would not even compare many of them to a bunch of great films, and find a lot of the things Amazon and Netflix are doing, just carbon copy crap with as much originality as you find in your toilet.

If anyone can make decent suggestions about this, I'm ready to pull my Amazon Tripe! It's impossible to find something to watch, and getting nicked $3.99 for just about every Godard, Bunuel and Truffaut films, is getting a bit ridiculous, and not fun. It takes away, a massive amount of films that I love to watch and spend time with.

And thx ... I'm glad to see this discussion, but disappointed that we can not find a way past the subtitle thing. There is no problem with the subtitles, unless your eye sight is really bad, and not getting younger like mine, but I watch a few foreign things on Amazon that have subtitles and they don't bother me, but I was around different countries with different languages, and have an appreciation for different lingo's that most film folks don't. 

I miss the incredible array of films in the 90's from China, Hong Kong, and Korea ... nowadays, all you see if half baked sexy something or other from Korea (all Amazon shows!!!) and nothing from China and Hong Kong, to the point that I can not even name any recent directors from those places, and Korea's material on Amazon looks like a lot of exploitation, though I think they are done with a nice artistic touch, to augment their visibility. Not great stuff, but really nice material, and often odd, but interesting. It's even difficult to review, for me, as I do not want to say something that appears to sound bad about it, in the midst of what was a well intended idea ... but I kinda look at a lot of the Korea material as something that Hulu, Amazon or Netflix would do, not quite what we would consider a full film.

But even more scary for me, is seeing some of the great International showcases for film, and the listings? I have not only seen these at all, I can not even find the films!!

Even worse ... at IMDB you can see a small listing, and it says Amazon Prime ... but you will never find the film listed anywhere on Amazon unless you search for a specific name, and still you get 100 listings that have nothing to do with that film!

Try Mubi of Filmin, lots of good, classic or non-mainstream cinema there.

Indeed, not all the ones I posted are riveting you to your seat  - some are quite frankly quite relatively boring for the Average Joe that is accustomed to Sci-FI, HF, superhero, Thriller or Horror blockbusters  (the impression I get here from most, if I peruse the PA film topic threads).

.

don't be... I wasn't aiming at you, as I didn't even know you were alive  (recent join date)

Furthermore, you hadn't posted in this thread yet.

Maybe you can help out by giving us a bunch of Turkish films that I haven't cited yet 

I'm thinking of one film (fairly recent: within the last five years or so) that I can't remember its title, but it's happening somewhere in the mountains of the Black Sea coast (like Mustang is)  and in an isolated mountain village, where the mayor has problem choosing between following Islam or common sense, when it come to his daughter or niece. 

.

why so many ID's?? 

Thx for the Kirpi hint. 

(THROWS A SOCK FULL OF CUSTARD TO THE WALL. WON'T STICK. THROWS A SOCK FULL OF RANK SPPAGHETTI TO THE WALL. IT SPLATTERS, AND NOW YOU HAVE TO SMELL IT UNTIL YOU ARE DONE CLEANING THE MESS!

SPITS ON THE FLOOR

SCREAMS

...ok, done. When you have over 500 film reviews and take a look at the many threads on various film subjects here, let us know ... and some of us have been at it for at least 45 years (my case) of reviews and writings on directing and acting of which I have a book nearly ready to be checked out, and Logan's comments will be appreciated, but not yours!  

Likely not as many posts lately as I am having a hard time adjusting to the era of the Internet and the fact that foreign film is no longer something that you can find on the corner of your local video store ... and too many of the popular places are more interested in their own produced crap than they are in helping you find the films you are looking for. Reminds me of a Netfudge search ... and you get 300 choices of their own crap and only 3 of "Godard" ... and sadly, you already saw those.

I have even made a point at the Portland International Film Festival of pointing out the odd stuff, since all the American and British stuff will be on video and you can always see it later! It doesn't matter ... people will still not go see the film from Mozambique, the one from Denmark, the one from Thailand, the one from Chile, the one from Vietnam ... and so on ... and those farts think I'm just being stubborn and not friendly ... to give you an idea of their self-righteous nouveau riche attitude ... such an obvious bunch ... let me tell you ... just like the fat old bitches coming out of the Menuhin/Shankar concert  (East/West series in 1968 and 1969) and one of them saying ... "all that improvisation, how can they call that music!" ... and all the other kissing hens agreeing as they walked out with the worst perfume stinking the air ever ... a funeral smell would be more enjoyable!

Middle-Eastern/Arabic movies are even being ignored here!

:)

I may be wrong but, I have a feeling that Hollywood movies are far more popular in the Middle East than native Middle-Eastern/Arabic movies. 

By the way, I still have no idea who or what MortSahl is. Are they a Middle-Eastern/Arabic band? 

I'll be back in two sheikhs. 

I don't know about you, but a lot of what I find in my toilet is quite original. Maybe you need to change your diet?