Laïcité, Inch'Allah!

I really love this documentary it shows Tunisians in a very positive light. Even though religion has a strong hold on society I liked the way they were discussing it with Nadia El Fani. She talks to all kind of people and they all seem to be open minded enough to discuss with her. Also I loved the part about the demonstrations and the songs people were singing. The soundtrack is great too. It's the kind of documentary that watches very easily, captivating if you have any interest in the subject and once you start watching it time flew. From a non religious extremist point of view this movie should not even be controversial at all.

the director, Nadia El Fani, has made the movie available for free on Daily Motion and Youtube in countries where it's not being distributed and where she still holds the rights so if you can't buy it look for it there.

Weird production. I have seen the DVD in a library. It was put in the section with the recent acquisitions. The title is very interesting so I keep it in mind. Later, in another library, I find it and I take it home. First I watched the bonus track with the interview. And the interview promised a lot: a documentary about a country that changes. Stop. Surely the film will help.

But the film did not help. It is a mess. Who is addressing who? Is it about the islamist menace? But the islamists are only in three scenes and those are just secondary characters. Is it about a country moving forward? I don't know. The promise in the interview is about change. A country that changes. Changes from what? Into what? Is it about the totalitar, but secular system? It is not so secular after all, people argue. Than how is the country moving into islamism? After all the documentary questions raise other questions.

Why present the people who eat and drink during ramadan? Why stress them? They are the people who will vote against Islam. Why present the people who sell alcohol? Why stress them? They are the people who will vote against Islam. But give the islamists a reason to burn a shop down and there you have some new converts: they don't have a deposit of alcohol, but the devil had wasted their investment. The devil in the form of a woman who defies religion.

Maybe this is all an ego trip. Me talking with the people. Me talking with my friends. Me drinking during ramadan. Me drinking alcohol. Maybe the maker of this movie plans to start a campaign to become the first woman president of Tunisia. Or else, the whole project does not make any sense.

And the film is made for whom? The foreigners? But there are too few details. For the locals? But the ideas presented seem way too alien for them. So back to the presidential run: me fighting the islamist dragon.

In the end I could not help but laugh seeing the whole secular debate under the Islamic crescent. Talking about ramadan and having the state represented by Islamic symbols? Maybe the people in this movie haven't understood anything. They want a France, for the Tunisians. How? Maybe the French will deliver one for them while they sit and smoke in defiance of ramadan.

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