Film review: Put-upon mother’s journey of discovery is magical
The movie has similarities with “Eat Pray Love” starring Julia Roberts and “Wild” with Reese Witherspoon
But Juanita is the first film in this genre to have a black woman in the starring role
Updated 27 March 2019
GAUTAMAN BHASKARAN
DUBAI: Children using emotional blackmail to manipulate their parents is an age-old theme, but for one mother it sparks a voyage of discovery.
Latest Netflix original “Juanita” tells the story of a hard-working mother, fed up with her deadbeat grown kids and marginal urban existence, who takes a bus trip to Montana where she reinvents herself.
Adapted from Sheila Williams’ novel “Dancing on the Edge of the Roof” and directed by Clark Johnson, this taut 90-minute drama follows Juanita (Alfre Woodard) as she rises above the mundane to transform her life.
The black mum works as a night nurse in a hospice for the ill and aged, while at home she has three adult children and a granddaughter to worry about.
Juanita’s son, Randy (Marcus Henderson), is in jail, her other son, Rashawn (Acorye’ White), is playing a cat-and-mouse game with the cops, and her daughter, Bertie (Jordan Nia Elizabeth), has little time to take care of her daughter, and pushes her mother to babysit.
To escape her oppressively boring life, Juanita fantasizes about Blair Underwood, an American television star, but when this starts to wear thin, she takes a Greyhound coach to a virtually unknown town where a meeting with uppity chef Jess Gardner (Adam Beach), sets in motion a chain of magical events.
Their first meeting is hilarious, with Juanita trying to cajole an obstinate Jess to make an American breakfast when he is bent on making it French style.
The movie has similarities with “Eat Pray Love,” where after a painful divorce Julia Roberts goes on a round-the-world trip, and “Wild” in which Reese Witherspoon takes a solo hike to recover from a personal tragedy.
But Juanita is the first film in this genre to have a black woman in the starring role, and Juanita’s rebellious streak injects novelty into the narrative.
The script, penned by Woodard’s husband Roderick M. Spencer, has patches of unevenness, but the actress deftly pilots the film through the difficult bits to dramatize some people need to embark on adventures to rediscover themselves.
Woodard brilliantly conveys Juanita’s disappointment and pain which later turns to joy and a sense of fulfilment.
Manicurist to the stars keeps Cairo’s golden age alive
Updated 01 December 2024
AFP
CAIRO: Nestled in a hidden alley off a bustling thoroughfare in the heart of the Egyptian capital sits an unassuming little manicure shop concealing a historic legacy.
Today, Madame Lucie’s small establishment is dwarfed by the sleek facades of modern cafes, fashion boutiques and fast food chains that have all but snuffed out Cairo’s old grandeur.
But decades ago, the shop’s seats were occupied by the likes of Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, international singing sensation Dalida and cinematic heartthrob Omar Sharif, all of whom sought the now 88-year-old manicurist’s expert hand.
For over six decades, Layla Abdel Hakim Mekhtegian — more commonly known by her sobriquet Madame Lucie — has presided over her little shop, standing guard over its rich history.
For those who step inside the shop, which claims to be the country’s oldest manicurist, it is a step back in time to Cairo’s cosmopolitan heyday of the 1950s and 60s.
“Everything here is as it was 64 years ago,” the French-educated woman of Armenian descent told AFP.
Madam Lucie, an 88-year-old manicurist expert, poses for a picture at her manicure shop in downtown Cairo on November 18, 2024. (AFP)
Established in December 1960, the salon exudes old-world charm.
Outside, the name Lucie greets customers in old fluorescent signage in both Arabic and French.
Inside, antique manicure tables sit in front of sepia-toned photographs of the illustrious patrons of bygone times.
“Customers tell us, ‘Don’t change a thing’,” she said.
The list of Madame Lucie’s clientele reads like a roll call of Egypt’s cultural pantheon.
“Mahfouz would come in for a trim while fans waited outside to have his autograph,” Madame Lucie recalls with a nostalgic smile.
“Dalida? Always punctual.”
“Her fans used to come here when they heard that she visits the salon,” she continues.
“And Omar Sharif,” she adds softly, “did not talk much, but he was so charming.”
Madame Lucie is part of a generation of Armenian entrepreneurs who shaped much of downtown Cairo’s commercial life in the mid-20th century.
She and her enduring salon are among just a handful of businesses that survived former president Gamal Abdel Nasser’s nationalization drive of the 1960s.
Prior to that, Egypt’s Armenian community had peaked at 45,000 in the 1950s, playing a vibrant role in the country’s cultural and economic landscape.
A client receives a manicure at Madam Lucie's manicure shop in downtown Cairo on November 18, 2024. (AFP)
Lucie acquired her craft at the age of 14 under the guidance of Marie, her mentor at Bata, the now-defunct, once-renowned department store in Cairo.
Together with her husband Jimmy and with the help of a Jewish investor, she transformed a printing house in downtown Cairo into her salon.
She has held fast to traditional nail treatments, shunning the more modern trends offered by many nail spas nowadays.
But her work goes beyond aesthetics, and many of her clients come for relief from painful conditions like calluses, ingrown nails and dead skin buildup.
She has in turn preserved not just the shop’s historic stature but also a loyal customer base for nearly as long.
“It is more of a treatment than a cosmetic thing,” said Effat Adel, a housewife in her fifties who has been visiting the salon for 37 years.
Sabry Ghoneim, an 89-year-old veteran journalist who has been a loyal customer for over four decades, said: “This place gives me peace of mind.”
Despite suggestions to expand, Lucie refuses.
“Why would I? This place is home,” she said.
“Every year, I update the sign outside to show how long we’ve been here. This December, it’ll say 65 years.”
‘Moana 2’ dials up its Pacific Island influences in grown-up sequel, say filmmakers
Updated 30 November 2024
Shyama Krishna Kumar
DUBAI: Out now in cinemas across the Middle East, Walt Disney Animation Studio’s highly anticipated “Moana 2” reunites audiences with its seafaring heroine (Auli’i Cravalho) and her best buddy Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson).
Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, the sequel sees Moana journey to the far seas of Oceania for a new adventure after receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors.
The filmmakers said that they were especially committed to representing the Pacific Island communities and peoples respectfully and with integrity, and that meant turning to the Oceanic Cultural Trust once again for guidance.
As with the first film, the “Moana 2” filmmakers assembled a team of cultural experts in anthropology, history, dance and movement, canoes and navigation, linguistics and various cultural practices from the Pacific Islands.
“I think we’re just really fortunate to work with our Oceanic Cultural Trust, led by Kalikolehua Hurley. We all care really deeply about the world of ‘Moana,’ and want to get it right. We definitely wanted to be intentional about the cultural nuances and home in on it, whether it was with clothing or designs in any way, but we also just wanted to create a movie that felt true to what it means to be from the Pacific,” said co-director Hand in an interview with Arab News.
“I would say that we really let Moana sort of dictate where the story goes,” added co-director Ledoux Miller. “We were really intentional about building off that foundation of the first film and thinking really carefully about what that first journey was. It was a story of identity and of her really coming into her own. So, it felt like a really natural extension that we would continue that idea of self-growth and evolution. We love the idea that as you grow as a leader, you learn new things about yourself, and you have to realize that you never stop discovering new depths to yourself and new things that you’re capable of.”
Being of Samoan descent, Ledoux Miller said that she felt the weight of representing her community through filming and beyond.
“I would say it’s front of mind even right now, it’s every day. To be a part of making the key creative decisions for creating this film was truly an honor, but absolutely a responsibility as well. I feel very protective of my community, but I feel protective of Moana too. I’m also like a Moana fan, and I want to do right by her, but I couldn’t be prouder of what we put together, and I’m so excited for my family to see this. I think I’ll breathe a little easier once they do,” she said.
One of the main new characters we meet in “Moana 2” is Simea, Moana’s younger sibling (voiced by Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda).
“The first film was really about Moana connecting to her past, and as this story is really all about the future and where she is going to bring her people, it made so much sense to put in an emotional relationship that she has with her little sister, and that embodiment of the future is right there for her. I think you really fall in love with the relationship from the first moment that you see them together, and that lasts all the way until the very end of the film,” Hand said.
Dubai-based Lindsay Lohan thanks fans for hit Netflix film
Updated 30 November 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Dubai-based Hollywood star Lindsay Lohan took to Instagram to thank fans after her latest festive film “Our Little Secret” became Netflix’s No. 1 streamed movie this week.
“Thank you for everyone who tuned in,” she wrote on Instagram Stories.
The actress — who is married to Kuwaiti financier Bader Shammas — also showed her appreciation for the MENA region when she appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” recently in an outfit from Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad’s Resort 2025 ready-to-wear collection, which included a black, long-sleeved top with structured shoulders and silver jeweled detailing down one side. The ensemble was completed with a matching black skirt, paired with black heels.
Lohan also attended the premiere of the romantic comedy in a Murad outfit, choosing a black gown from the label’s spring/summer 2025 ready-to-wear collection. The sleeveless dress featured a plunging neckline with two statement crystal-embellished motifs at the midriff.
The flowing skirt incorporated sheer panels, and she topped off the look with open-toe black heels and subtle jewelry, and her hair in soft waves.
“Our Little Secret” tells the story of Avery (Lohan) who is planning to spend Christmas with her boyfriend’s family. Things take an unexpected turn when she discovers that ex-boyfriend Logan (played by Ian Harding) is also joining the festivities, as it transpires their current partners are siblings. Avery and Logan must navigate the holiday while ensuring their former relationship remains a secret.
Lohan will next be returning to her Disney roots by reuniting with Jamie Lee Curtis for next year’s “Freaky Friday” sequel, titled “Freakier Friday.”
The film was shot over the summer and had Lohan feeling like a child again, she told ABC’s “Nightline.”
“I think really for me was when I went onto the Disney lot,” Lohan said. “And being back on the Disney lot because that’s not just ‘Freaky Friday’ for me. That’s ‘The Parent Trap,’ that’s ‘Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen,’ that’s ‘Herbie.’ It’s so many moments for me. So when I got there, I kind of felt like this essence of a little kid again.”
“I’m so grateful for every moment of it, every second,” she said of being back on the lot. “I’m going to, like, get emotional. It’s a great experience.”
KARACHI: Pakistani artisans participating in Saudi Arabia’s International Handicrafts Week, Banan, on Friday called for deepening cultural ties between the two nations, emphasizing the role of art and crafts in fostering mutual understanding.
The exhibition, held in Riyadh from Nov. 23 to Nov. 29, featured over 500 artisans from 25 countries, showcasing a vibrant blend of traditions and skills.
The event, organized by the Heritage Commission of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, highlighted the role of crafts in promoting cross-cultural dialogue.
Several Pakistani artisans were facilitated by their embassy to participate in Banan and represent their country’s rich culture.
“It is important to explore the ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia through a cultural lens, which has started to happen,” Danish Jabbar Khan, CEO of Kaarvan Crafts Foundation and a participant at the event, told Arab News over the phone.
“The cultural exchange is the way forward for two countries to understand each other," he continued. "It’s simpler and long-lasting. People-to-people exchange is very important that such platforms allow.”
Khan’s foundation works with rural communities, particularly women, to preserve traditional crafts such as truck art, blue pottery and woodwork.
This handout photograph, shared by Pakistani artist Ejaz ul Allah Mughal on November 29, 2024, shows a general view of his stall featuring tuck art at the Pakistan pavilion during the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, Banan, in Riyadh. (Supplied/Ejaz ul Allah Mughal)
“The experience [of participating in the exhibition] was phenomenal,” he said. “The culture here is so open in terms of its scale, work, and inclusion. I am delighted to see Saudi women entrepreneurs in huge numbers.”
A highlight of the exhibition was truck artist Ejaz ul Allah Mughal, who created custom pieces for attendees.
This handout photograph, shared by Pakistani artist Ejaz ul Allah Mughal on November 29, 2024, shows his work, featuring portraits of King Salman of Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, at his stall featuring tuck art at the Pakistan pavilion during the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, Banan, in Riyadh. (Supplied/Ejaz ul Allah Mughal)
“I am happy that I represented Pakistan,” Mughal said, adding: “Though language was a barrier, art knows no boundaries. People here really appreciated my craft. Truck art is famous worldwide, so people know about it.”
Mariya Suhail, who uses a diverse range of Pakistan’s gemstones in jewelry, also took her craft to Banan. She set up Pakistan’s first gemstone cutting and processing facility in Lahore over a decade ago, though she later launched her own label, Orah Jewels.
Suhail's work blends Pakistan’s diverse gemstones into jewelry and home décor.
This handout photograph, shared by Pakistani artist Mariya Sohail on November 29, 2024, shows her stall at the Pakistan pavilion during the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, Banan, in Riyadh. (Supplied/Mariya Sohail)
“People here picked up gemstones from Pakistan and loved it," she told Arab News. "There is a lot of demand for Pakistani products here. People of Riyadh also have a very positive outlook towards Pakistan.”
She maintained that despite the language barrier, there was a lot of learning, networking and exposure.
“Cultural exchange is very important," she added. "I wish we can have more such events and opportunities to present this very beautiful image of Pakistan. It's been an incredible experience here.”
This handout photograph, shared by Pakistani artist Mariya Sohail on November 29, 2024, shows visiting children at her stall at the Pakistan pavilion during the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, Banan, in Riyadh. (Supplied/Mariya Sohail)
The Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh also commended the artisans’ participation, calling the Pakistani pavilion a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and the unparalleled quality of its craftsmanship.
"From intricate handmade designs to traditional artistry passed down through generations, the showcased crafts highlighted the deep-rooted legacy of Pakistan's artisan community,” it said in a statement.
Red Sea International Film Festival 2024: The award contenders — part two
Updated 29 November 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Following part one, here is the second half of our rundown of the films in competition at this year’s RSIFF, which begins Dec. 5.
‘Seeking Haven For Mr. Rambo’
Director: Khaled Mansour
Mansour’s debut feature will tug at the heartstrings of animal lovers. Set in Cairo, the film centers on 30-year-old Hassan, who faces eviction from the home he shares with his mother and his dog, Rambo. Their landlord, Karem, wants them out so he can expand his auto-repair workshop. When Karem attacks Hassan, Rambo steps in, and the landlord is humiliated in front of the whole neighborhood. Karem vows to take revenge. Mansour told Deadline that the film is “not about extreme violence against dogs, but about me and my generation’s relationship with society … That relationship in which we always feel chased in our city like stray dogs. At the same time, we do not know any other haven to belong to.” Mansour’s film was backed by the Red Sea Film Foundation.
‘Sima’s Song’
Director: Roya Sadat
Starring: Mozhdah Jamalzadah, Niloufar Kookhani, Aziz Deildar
Sadat has established herself as one of Afghanistan’s leading filmmakers. Her latest feature is a period piece, set in Kabul in 1978, and follows two friends — Suraya, a wealthy communist, and Sima, a not-so-wealthy Muslim conservative — navigating their country’s transition to socialism, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the rise of anti-Soviet resistance, including the mujahideen. With the Taliban once again controlling her country, Sadat’s film is a timely one. “The world has turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to what is happening to Afghan women,” she told Variety. “Perhaps this film can … invite the audience to join this collective call for solidarity through a shared sense of empathy.”
The Tunisian filmmaker’s second feature — which was backed by the Red Sea Film Foundation — is reportedly based on real-life events. A dissatisfied woman in her late twenties, Aya, is the sole survivor of a bus crash. Realizing that no one knows she is alive, she impetuously takes the opportunity to flee to Tunis under a false identity. But when she witnesses a crime, she learns just how precarious her new life is.
Multi-hyphenate Modiri is, according to the Tehran Times, “Iran’s leading social satirist.” In his latest feature, a young woman named Sarah is due to leave Tehran for Canada for three years to study for her doctorate. The night before her 6 a.m. flight, after a tense final family dinner, she heads out to a farewell party at her friend’s apartment. Then there’s a knock on the door from the police.
‘To Kill a Mongolian Horse’
Director: Xiaoxuan Jiang
Starring: Saina, Undus, Qilemuge, Tonggalag
The Manchurian filmmaker’s moving debut feature is the story of a Mongolian horseman (played by Jiang’s real-life friend Saina) who decides to become a performer in the hugely popular local horse shows, where Saina’s spectacular stunts help him make enough money to support his young son and cover his father’s gambling debts. But all Saina really wants is to care for his beloved sheep and horses on the wild grasslands — a way of life threatened by climate change and capitalism.
The Bangladeshi filmmaker directorial debut has already impressed on the festival circuit. The title character is the sole carer for her paraplegic mother Shirin. When Shirin suffers a heart attack, Saba rushes to sell their home, putting her life on hold in order to save her mother. Variety called it “a pressing work of social realism, expressing — in quiet but poignant ways — the tenor of the nation’s disaffected youth.”
‘My Friend An Delie’
Director: Zijian Dong
Starring: Liu Haoran, Zijian Dong
Li Mo is flying home for his father’s funeral when he bumps into his former best friend An Delie, whom he hasn’t seen since middle school and who insists he doesn’t know Li Mo — even though they are both heading to the same funeral. With their flight diverted, the two embark on a long drive together. Through flashbacks to the late Nineties, we see the formation of their friendship and the difficult relationships both had with their parents.
Tati’s atmospheric drama is set in the unforgiving desert on the Algerian border. Saad is a filmmaker trying to scrape enough money together to finish his movie. To do so, he has been living with his friend Fethi and his family who are professional smugglers, taking goods — usually fuel — into Tunisia. While Fethi and his family have welcomed Saad into their home, he remains, essentially, an outsider.
