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The Cinema of Memory

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The Cinema of Muhammad Malas

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Arab Cinema ((PASTARCI))

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Abstract

Recognized as gems of Arab film history, Ahlam al-Medina (Dreams of the City), 1984, and Al Layl (The Night), 1992, reveal the distinctive cinematic voice of Muhammad Malas. Both films are quasi-autobiographical journeys that poetically interrogate his memories of Syria, from a coming-of-age story set in Damascus in the 1950s to a poetic meditation on the loss of his ancestral home, the city of Quneitra. This latter film calls on the indexicality and punctum of photography to reflect on the failures of Arab nationalism and limits of memory. Malas deftly blurs the lines between realism and fiction, past and present, and truth and history as characters confront Palestine, Arab Nationalism, patriarchy, and Syrian democracy.

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Bibliography

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development, Washington, DC, USA

    Samirah Alkassim

  2. College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Nezar Andary

Authors
  1. Samirah Alkassim
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  2. Nezar Andary
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samirah Alkassim .

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Alkassim, S., Andary, N. (2018). The Cinema of Memory. In: The Cinema of Muhammad Malas. Palgrave Studies in Arab Cinema. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76813-7_1

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