Trances

This documentary on Moroccan superstar band Nass El Ghiwane transported me to another culture and style of music, and for that alone, it was a joy watching. There is so much power in the call and response vocalization, with lyrics dealing with politics, love, peace, and the struggle of what it means to be Moroccan in a way that seems to embrace the listener. There is also hypnotic power in the percussion and banjo work, music which puts the listener in a reverie while expressing a universal fellowship. I wish more Americans would experience the music along with the translated lyrics, as I have to believe their humanism would help build a bridge between the two worlds.

I loved how director Ahmed El Maanouni often gave us street scenes and those of everyday people while we hear a song, emphasizing the connection between performer and where they're from. Be forewarned though, there is a shot of an animal writhing around after its neck has been cut, apparently a sacrifice, which, while very brief, was disturbing.

To someone more versed in Moroccan history and music the film would undoubtedly have been easier to follow; for me, a novice, a little more structure or explanation would have helped at times. However, the power of music to make people feel a swell of emotion, to make them lose their rational minds and dance comes through, and it's a beautiful thing to watch, even more so from a culture so different from my own.

From one of the popular corners of the city of Casablanca in morocco the "Hay Mohammadi" area emerged a band full of spirit and fond of sacred and sublime music. The most known band of its time emerged to make generations live in trance. "Nass El Ghiwan" is a group of youth eager to produce art, living in trance with their art, and making their fan live in trance with their music.

The movie starts with a ride on a car around the neighborhoods where the youth has first met and decided to make a band with "Larbi Batma", "Omar Sayed", " Abdelaziz Tahiri", then "Abderrahmane Paco". The movie shows "Nass El Ghiwan" animating a successful concert in Tunisia and at the same time switch to show flashes of their personality throw some aspects of their life. The band still remembers "Boujmii" who died some time ago, but still has his existence in the memory of his colleagues and fans. They dedicated the concert to "Boujmii" as an acknowledgment to his contribution to "Nass El Giwane". Tunisian fans seem very overwhelmed by the rhythm and the lyrics, repeating the songs and dancing.

Before forming a band, each member's fondness of music prevented him from a former way he had once followed in life; music seems to be in their blood. They are together inventing their music…or, each one by himself seeking new rhythms.

Like a documentary presenting the biography of "Nass El Ghiwane" band, there are moments in this movie when each person talks about his feelings, expectations, why he chose to become an artist, and all the answers refer to the fact that they are born with that passion inside, which wasn't to be manifested otherwise except by producing art.

The Moroccan Beatles have created an irresistible atmosphere thanks to the very traditional Moroccan instruments of music they use like "bendir", "banjo", "tarija", " da'dou' " and " darbouka". This is what makes their music very Moroccan and special, in addition to the contribution of each element of the band who brought his own spirit and origins to that music. So, we can find an amalgamation between Gnawi, Berber, Ita, Malhoun, etc…the topics of their songs are political, religious, social, and rebellious.

This movie is full of nostalgia; it is very simple but very close to heart. Watching this movie, I felt how serious are "Nass El Giwane", and how much they loved their music to make it so original. Casablanca city as the main scene of action looks able to swallow all the varieties, differences and contradictions to produce "Nass El Ghiwane" legend.

"Trances," directed by Ahmed El Maanouni, is a groundbreaking music documentary that explores the music of the Moroccan band Nass El Ghiwane. Shot in the 1970s, the film captures the energy and spirit of the band at the height of their popularity, and showcases their unique blend of traditional North African music and modern influences.

One of the most impressive aspects of "Trances" is its innovative blend of music, poetry, and storytelling. The film interweaves live performances by Nass El Ghiwane with interviews and footage of daily life in Morocco, creating a rich tapestry of sound and image. The band's music, which draws on a wide range of influences from across the region, is both soulful and energetic, and captures the complex social and political issues of the time.

El Maanouni's direction is also impressive, as he manages to capture the intimacy and intensity of Nass El Ghiwane's live performances, while also providing a broader context for their music. The film is a testament to the power of music to transcend boundaries and bring people together, and its enduring popularity is a testament to its enduring relevance.

Overall, "Trances" is a must-see for anyone interested in exploring the rich cultural heritage of North Africa. Its innovative blend of music, poetry, and storytelling, combined with its powerful social and political commentary, make it a timeless classic that continues to inspire and entertain audiences around the world.

Trances is a documentary/concert film hybrid that you either get on the vibe of or you don't so much. I did, and the concert footage is spectacular; Eastern music is so mesmerizing because of the repetition and the groove that these musicians get into in song after song can't help one but want to move around the room as it plays and goes around like a slinky animal going in beautiful circles.

There's a complexity in the simplicity of the musicianship if that makes sense, that it must take years of becoming a fully integrated unit and to be on the same wavelength as everyone else in the group in order to create harmony and a connection not just with themselves but the audience, so it doesn't matter so much that it's many of the same notes.... it has the same kind of momentum as certain kinds of punk rock in a way, or even like the Stooges or Velvet Underground with some of their deliberately long songs (Sister Ray, Funhouse).

It may be a little more scattershot as a documentary, mostly because the director is largely concentrated to just observe the musicians - to the point of conversations losing any focus - as they talk and sometimes argue and some political digressions in the middle (with a couple of key moments of history on the music that I wished were a little more jn depth or thorough for context, like imagine the Beatles talking about Little Richard and youd never heard his stuff before).

I felt a little too ignorant on the politics of the region except the Band sings about general oppression and it likely leans into some religious terrain, though I could be wrong. If I knew who the members were a little more I'd feel something, but that's not what the director is going for - he gets their natural thoughts and down to earth philosophy in spots and that's cool.

Trances is directed with a calm and confident eye, not a verite influence of like the Maysles or Pennebaker going in and that works for this tone where people sometimes drift into a moment like the one guy with the yellow head-scarf who comes in with his flute and he and one of the drummers gets into a groove right away ("Hamdouchi" I think it was called for the rhythm). My point in this review is to note that if you're a college student with friends in your dorm with a good bit of substances, this is perfect to accompany your trip.

Saw a newly restored print of this film, the first film restored by Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Foundation, and I understand why it was chosen to spearhead the project.

Apparently Scorsese saw this film on TV in the 80's when editing the King of Comedy and was transfixed by it, and went out of his way to track down the makers of the film and the print. The restored print is pristine, and the film itself sublime. It follows the path of one of Morocco's most famous bands during a period of strife in that country. It's made with an abstract and non linear narrative, and crafted like a poem. We hear the gentle voices of the musicians, who carry universal messages about love and unity peppered between many wonderful scenes of music and performances. Indeed watching it puts you in a trance like state, much like the audiences in the film.

An integral documentary.