The Idol is an Arabic foreign language film that tells the life
story of Mohammed Assaf, a Palestinian boy who sets out to pursue his dream of
competing on Arab Idol.
The film is based on real life events of Mohammed Assaf, depicting all of
the hurdles he had to overcome just to have the opportunity to audition for the
show.
The Idol touches on a multitude of issues surrounding life in
Gaza and opportunities for youth in the region. While focusing on a story of
optimism in an international region that is widely seen as place where only conflict, war,
misery and oppression exists.
Synopsis
As alluded to above The Idol follows the story of the talented Mohammed Assaf.
As a young boy in Gaza, Mohammed spent every hour of his days with his sister, Nour. The two were inseparable and were each other’s best friends. They got so much joy from singing and dancing that they started even performing at weddings and birthday parties.
However, things take a turn for the worst when Nour gets
sick. While in hospital, Nour urges her brother to live for
her and to share his beautiful voice with the world before her sudden death.
Those words stick with Mohammed for the remainder of his life. But as he grows older, he finds it hard to get happiness from singing.
Those words stick with Mohammed for the remainder of his life. But as he grows older, he finds it hard to get happiness from singing.
We next see Mohammed as a college student. He has a
part-time job as a taxi driver and goes to school in his hometown. Having grown
up in Gaza, Mohammed has seen just how devastating war can be. He dreams of
finding a way out of the region for his family.
Eventually he comes to the
realization that music could be that way out. He sees that Arab Idol is holding
auditions and he makes the decision to follow his sister’s dying wish to sing, bringing joy to those around him.
We follow Mohammed as he deals with the almost impossible
task of obtaining a visa to get to Egypt for the competition.
The remainder of the film depicts Mohammed’s journey as he finds his passion for music again and as he becomes an aspiration for everyone in the Arab world with his singing talent. But how far will he go on Arab Idol?
The remainder of the film depicts Mohammed’s journey as he finds his passion for music again and as he becomes an aspiration for everyone in the Arab world with his singing talent. But how far will he go on Arab Idol?
Important Themes
The Idol is not your typical Palestinian film. When it comes to film in the Middle East, you usually are met with stories revolving around war, tension and struggle.
These themes, as important as they are, fit the common narrative of Muslims in the West and hopelessness when it comes to the plight of the Palestinian people.
As a result, you almost never hear positive news or stories coming out of the region. The Idol is different in that it tells a heartwarming story of loyalty, perseverance and dedication.
As a society, we consume a huge percentage of our information over social media. Moreover, when it comes
to the depiction of Muslims in the Arab world across social platforms, you rarely
ever see pictures of Muslims being happy, smiling or enjoying themselves.
Instead, you see pictures of war torn regions, people living in poverty, children crying or even pictures demonising Muslims.
Instead, you see pictures of war torn regions, people living in poverty, children crying or even pictures demonising Muslims.
Due to the lack of positive material, the
human psyche can take a real hit, as it is not healthy to take in an abundance
of negative or troubling information.
As stated in this BBC article, this can lead to an increase in stress, self-esteem issues, radical changes in mood and rates of depression.
As stated in this BBC article, this can lead to an increase in stress, self-esteem issues, radical changes in mood and rates of depression.
A large reason for this phenomenon taking place is due to
the lack of diversity when it comes to reporting on news.
News and media coming out of Arab regions are done to solely report on either the improvements or declines in war, hostilities and living conditions; rarely ever any other material.
Some even say that negative portrayals of Muslims continue because it gets more attention. This can lead to Muslims internalizing Islamophobia at higher rates.
News and media coming out of Arab regions are done to solely report on either the improvements or declines in war, hostilities and living conditions; rarely ever any other material.
Some even say that negative portrayals of Muslims continue because it gets more attention. This can lead to Muslims internalizing Islamophobia at higher rates.
As a result, many of the stories that are shared across
social platforms in broad society reflect these negative and concerning
sentiments. Which leads to even more material shared that are bleak and connected to strife.
The Idol is a film which puts a story of hope and determination
in the foreground. Focusing on a heartwarming story in a region that
only sees conflict.
Conclusion
The Idol is a great film. It tells a bright, true story in a region not commonly associated with hope, dreams and positivity.
The film does well to stick to real events from Mohammed Assaf’s
life up to the current time.
The Idol also showcases a brilliant cast, who each play their roles extremely well.
The Idol also showcases a brilliant cast, who each play their roles extremely well.
The Idol is a film you won’t want to miss. It articulates a story
you normally do not hear in Palestine and offers an important story of hope in
an always-changing, uncertain region.
