Movie: The Syrian Bride (2004)

Israel played the main role in the production of The Syrian Bride. Israeli Eran Riklis wrote the script with Palestinian Suha Arraf, as well as directed the movie, and most of the actors were Israelis of Palestinian descent. Director Riklis seemed to have an international audience as the target for this movie and made it from the point of view of an Israeli. In other words, even though the word “Syrian” is in the movie title, this movie was made to try to convey an Israeli sentiment to the world.

The setting of this movie is a devout Druze village in the Golan Heights at the border of Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. Islam is divided into two main opposing groups, the Shia and Sunni. Sunnis are the majority, while Shiites are estimated to be 10 to 20% of Muslims. Since the birth of the Shia sect, they were generally in the position of the minority against the Sunni majority, and the Shia often formed their group in mountainous areas where enemies couldn’t easily invade in order to protect themselves from being attacked by the majority. Iran is the only country in which Shiites are the majority, but it is said there are a significant number of Shiites in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Pakistan. Over time, the Shia became more and more fragmented. The Druze originated from the Shia, but they differ in doctrine in many aspects; thus, Druze is sometimes called the third sect of Islam, while many Muslims do not consider Druze to be a part of Islam.

This area is complicated politically. In the Third Arab-Israeli War (Six-Day War)—the war between Israel and Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq in 1967—Israel succeeded in a surprise attack and won by quickly occupying the West Bank district of Jordan, the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, and the Golan Heights of Syria. Since 1981, Golan Heights was put under civilian governance, and Israel gave Israeli citizenship to the Syrians on this land who desired it. Since the inhabitants had a strong sense of identity with Syria, not many people applied for Israeli citizenship, and the result was that they became stateless. The people who go to Syria from Golan Heights for reasons such as marriage cannot return to their village under Israeli occupation because once they cross the national border, they automatically become Syrian. International public opinion does not approve of Israel’s occupation of Golan Heights, but Israel is not going to give up Golan Heights because Golan Heights is strategically important and the Sea of Galilee is valuable as a water source.

Since the Six-Day War ended swiftly in the blink of an eye with an Israeli victory, there were some people living in Golan Heights that were separated from their family. The set up for this movie is that the father Hammed is a pro-Syria activist and was just released from an Israeli prison. Since one of his three sons lives in Syria and can’t return to Golan Heights, when they want to talk, the father and son must go to a place called “Shouting Hill,” where people communicate with a megaphone across a short field due to the military border.

Because Hammed’s eldest son married a woman doctor that he met while studying abroad in Russia, Hammed disowns him and the Druze elders in their village banish him. Hammed’s eldest daughter married a man chosen by her father, but she grows distant from her conservative husband, and she is determined to study at an Israeli university to gain her independence. Her eldest daughter (Hammed’s granddaughter) falls in love with the son of a family that is pro-Israel. Hammed’s second daughter is arranged to marry a distant relative—a popular actor now in Syria—and is going to leave for Syria, but since she cannot return to her family once she crosses the border, she is hesitant about the marriage. The second son flies around Italy and France with a stateless passport and conducts business. He is different from the second daughter and the son in Syria in that he has the freedom to travel. Because the eldest son comes back from Russia briefly for his little sister’s wedding, he seems to also have the freedom to travel. Since he is married to a Russian woman, he may have a Russian passport. In other words, the restriction of not being able to come back once one crosses the national border seems to just be for the Syrian national border.

This movie depicts the happenings on the day of the second daughter’s wedding ceremony, and, since the inauguration of the current President al-Assad is being covered on the TV, we can tell that this story takes place in the year 2000. The movie depicts Syrians being excited for President al-Assad’s inauguration, with hope and joy because they believed President al-Assad to be a kind and educated man, unlike his father and older brother. No one at that time could have ever imagined that President al-Assad would make the list of “World’s Worst Dictators” according to American media.

This is a good movie that depicts familial love that is not easy. However, the thing that stood out most in this movie was the desire to express an Israeli sentiment. This movie does not mention the past of the Israeli occupation of Golan Heights at all, and it just depicts the warmness between the people currently living in Golan Heights, regardless of their ethnicity. The Israelis that appear are neither good nor bad guys, simply do their duty, and are just average people. Israel has often been criticized internationally, but those who have decided to live there wish greatly for Israel to be seen positively and work hard to gain international support. A movie is the very best medium to convey Israel’s present condition and the feelings and thoughts of such an Israeli to the world. Director Ari Folman who made Waltz with Bashir stated, “There is complete freedom of expression in Israel. I am permitted to say anything.” Israel’s government seems to even support the activity of moviemakers. Also, there seems to be open exchange of technology with Hollywood, where there are many prominent Jewish Americans. The movie industry of Israel is very active and has produced many good movies. If one can say anything, movies provide the rare opportunity for Israelis who tend to be criticized internationally to raise their voices and express themselves.

Hiam Abbass, the beautiful actress that played the eldest daughter, is a Palestinian from Israel, and most of her activity is in Europe. She stated clearly in an interview, “It is unproductive if we obsess over the past. The important thing is how you live from now on.” Palestinian Makram J. Khoury, who played the bride’s father Hammed, acquired Israeli citizenship after repeated deliberation. Israel respects him, and Khoury flourishes as a top actor of Israel. Israel wants to reward those who have chosen Israel.

Obsessing over the past/history is one way to think about peace in the Middle East, but another way is to look toward the future. Israeli citizens wish from the bottom of their hearts that more people will understand the situation Israel is in. I think this wish is the background of Israel’s thriving film world.

日本語→