Land Gold Women

This is one of the most important films that I have ever experienced. The ending is given to us in the first few minutes yet the tension is taut throughout. It is so well made that I did not know that this was a low budget film until I read it somewhere online. The scenes and settings are simple, but at no point does it look like someone was cutting corners in order to save money. So back to the "important" part: This film takes on the issue of so called "honor killings" in Britain, opening up a perspective on an ongoing social tragedy that almost everyone works hard to ignore. This brilliant debut by director and writer Avantika Hari is well made in every way, but there was an element that took this film to the heights of my all time film list. As an American Muslim film geek of Arab descent, I have a particular interest in films about Muslims and Arabs. Islam and Muslims are a tough thing to portray in a film. There is an explanation element that is more or less a necessary component; as well as that simple but seemingly impossible part of just presenting people's perspectives as they are in reality, no spin no judgment. They usually screw up the first part and it just goes downhill from there. In the end, everybody screws up. In my experience Avantika Hari stands alone as the one who didn't. If you have the opportunity to see this rare film, move mountains to do so.

"Land Gold Women" is a brave attempt on the subject of honour killing that has splashed across the media. Professor of History in University of Birmingham is having mid-life crisis and finds himself at crossroads when his teenage daughter is dating a "kaffir". The subject is bold and potential immense, however gets washed down owing to lack to depth. The patriarch is simply shown yearning for his motherland by brooding over nostalgic songs. His character could have elevated by examining his social network after the onset of 9/11 and religious affinity which gets aggravated by the arrival of his staunch and imposing brother. Om Puri in "East is East" is a perfect example where trivial things make up a complete character which can speak volumes on itself. But that shouldn't steal the thunder from Avantika Hari for her brave effort to undertake a road lesser travelled.

In terms of performances, Narinder Samra stands out with a theatre like performance infusing life into the character of Nazir Ali Khan. Next its Hassani Shapi who gets into the skin of Riyaaz Ali Khan ensuring you will hate the very sight of him. Renu Brindle compliments nicely. Neelam Parmar as the daughter is strictly okay. The two lawyers though do a good job was an unwarranted track that could have been done away with.

PS: The three elements in which tribal honour is preserved are Zameen, Zar (Zevar) and Joru (Aurat) ie. land, gold and women.