Five Broken Cameras

A Review

Directed by	·         Emad Burnat ·         Guy Davidi
Produced by	·         Christine Camdessus ·         Serge Gordey ·         Emad Burnat ·         Guy Davidi
Written by	·         Guy Davidi
Music by	Le Trio Joubran
Cinematography	Emad Burnat
Editing by	·         Véronique Lagoarde–Ségot ·         Guy Davidi
Distributed by	Kino Lorber
Release date(s)	·         November 23, 2011
Running time	90 minutes
Country	Palestine Israel France
Language	·         Arabic ·         Hebrew

            Bertrand Russell once remarked, “War does not determine who is right - only who is left.” The conflict between Israel and Palestine is not new and every now and then the news bulletins are flashing a story on it. But, not many know what actually happens on the borders and this is what ‘Five Broken Camera’ very aptly depicts. From the opening scene when Emad’s youngest son is born and the revolution to protect his village’s land from Israeli seizure begins, a unique parallel is drawn depicting the existence of human life midst the conflict. The film is divided into five segments shot from five cameras, which in itself is a unique concept as the destruction of each of the cameras depicts the amount of struggle Emad had to do to bring forth the plight of his people.

            Each of the sequences shot describe various timelines of the resistance. Each and every scene is intriguing and depicts the reality very aptly. The involvement of the villagers to save their land makes one think as to what the audiences across the globe are catered with is really news or cooked up facts? Some of the scenes like Emad getting shot and his brother being killed by Israeli forces are disturbing yet they portray the valour and audacity of the people of Bil’in who are willing to die for their village. The involvement of Israeli and international activists brings to light the disparity in the public opinion and what the government considers to be public opinion, but is thier own agenda. Emad’s camera not only shoots the entire struggle, in fact, it becomes its symbol. His struggle to film the incidents and the family tussle create impediments for his work but he doesn’t gives up and continues shooting despite threats from the army.

            The film is an honest effort to showcase the reality that never even touches the periphery of a common man’s living room. There is not much to say but to admire the courage of people associated with filming and the excellent work of the editing team. To be precise and clear, one the most appealing documentaries of our times is '5 Broken Cameras', go for it!

Rating: 9/10

Thumbs Up: Watch out for some very powerful scenes like the one in which Emad showcases his broken cameras like they are some war souvenirs.  

Thumbs Down: I’ll be damned if I write anything here!!

THE WAR YOU DON’T SEE

A REVIEW

Directed by	Alan Lowery           John Pilger
Produced by	Alan Lowery            John Pilger            Christopher Hird
Written by	John Pilger
Narrated by	John Pilger
Starring	John Pilger             Rageh Omaar             Dan Rather             Mark Curtis             Carne Ross             Cynthia McKinney             Julian Assange
Music by	Sacha Puttnam
Cinematography	Rupert Binsley
Editing by	Joe Frost
Studio	Dartmouth Films
Release date(s)	December 13, 2010
Running time	97 min
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

            The real casualty of war, indeed, is truth but, it isn't the only casualty. The war that you don't see is an intriguing documentary that takes the viewer beyond the veil and exposes the bitter reality behind the wars that take place in the name of valour, courage and sacrifice. John Pilger, who has been a vociferous critic of the ‘imperialist’ foreign policies of USA, UK and Australia, has once again raised the issue of useless and needless wars in the name of establishing democracy in the so called disturbed regions and also taunted the culture of the so called ‘embedded journalists’ .

            The film begins with the World War I Prime Minister of Britain David Lloyd George telling the, then, Guardian editor C P Scott that, “If the people really knew the truth, the war would be stopped tomorrow.” What follows is a series of questionnaire to eminent media personalities like Stuart Ewen, Melvin Goodman, Dan Rather, Rageh Omaar, David Rose, Dahr Jamail, Mark Manning etc. and exclusive footage that reveal the real life scenarios during the Iraq war shootouts killing innocent civilians. Mr. Pilger also interviews former British diplomat Carne Ross and the US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who, respectively, testify the sufferings of Iraqi civilians and criticize the Obama administration for not withdrawing the troops. Then comes the whistleblowing icon Julian Assange who asserts that, investigative journalists are the number one threat to the menacing activities of the west. The documentary ends with John Pilger quoting Claud Cockburn that, “believe nothing until it has been officially denied”.

            The film has been shot in a very appealing style. The video footages are not very disturbing but they do quiz a common man’s notion about war. However, the interviews seem to be very soft in tone and could have been more ‘dig in deep’ kind of. But, all in all, it is a film that forces the viewer to think of what he is fed in the name of information and what actually happens, as if there is a matrix that creates an illusion called ‘news’.

RATING: 8 out of 10

THUMBS UP: Watch out for the scenes when Bush and Blair are taking a stroll in the park, regardless of the havoc they caused and the clip in which the ex U.S soldier Ethan McCord is running with the injured Iraqi children in his arms.

THUMBS DOWN:  The interviews seem heavily scripted.

THE PADOSI CHRONICLES - 1

THE PADOSI CHRONICLES

CHAPTER 1

BABLOO

I had just completed the last mudra of Mandook-aasan (The Frog Posture), in the balcony, when I was perturbed by a whistling sound, which was quite unusual at 6.30 am in the morning, in my locality. Distraught by the crass cacophony I looked around and was shocked to witness my padosi ka ladka (neighbors’ son) Babloo, the personification of the angel of slumber himself, up early. The mystery of his early awakening was pissing me off when, a keen observant that I am, I noticed a behemoth smart phone dripping out of his pajama pocket, which he eventually took out. Suddenly, he started beaming towards me and waved his inhuman paw clutching that smart phone. I loathly retorted in the same gesture. While having tea later, I realized the reason he got up so early – to show off! Since I usually leave for college much earlier than he gets up and come later than he does (which, luckily, is the reason of our sporadic interactions), Babloo devised this sinister ploy to flaunt his novel device.

Babloo and his ismaart phone soon became popular in the locality. Frankly, I was jealous, because nobody noticed my smart phone, which, I agree, was smaller and cheaper than Babloo’s – whatever! His vexing mataji, my mother’s kitty colleague, further irked me with the gibberish about Babloo’s corpulent salary. Every day I had to hear about Babloo, his salary, his job and of course, that bugger, son of a metal smart phone. I had had it! Something had to be done to contain this virus of belligerent exhibition. If I had a Dexter’s Lab, I swear to God I would have used every bit of the techno babble that exists to decimate Babloo’s smart phone the very moment he tried flaunting it. Seemingly destined for Arkham Asylum, I got some respite from this routine when I had to stay at a friend’s place for the weekend. But the query remained – how will I bear the sight of that arrogant dork, dobaaraa?

On getting back, maa welcomed me with a queer smile. I marveled at her guts. Maa so brave of you to smile even as the Enemy is at the Gates - I remarked, to which she burst out laughing.  Gazing the quizzical look I bore, she revealed – Babloo ka phone, gaadi aur purse chori ho gaya! (Babloo’s wallet, car and the smart phone were robbed).  I jumped in joy, my energy was contagious and I was more delighted than I had ever been in my entire life!  Maa further elaborated that Babloo had gone out on a blind date with a lady who claimed to have been smitten by his display picture on a social networking website in which he was showing off his phone (yes he is added in my list, so what?) but, when he reached the agreed spot he was ambushed and robbed. I was elated and wondered if I had any psychic potency, because if it was God’s wrath on Babloo, then it was the result of my constant malediction. A remorseless individual, I didn’t even visit to reconcile the brittle, battered and broken Babloo, though I wonder what he must have sad about – the smart phone or being duped in ‘blind’ love?

Next morning, back at the balcony, the breeze seemed cooler and more fragrant than ever before. There was no sign of Babloo, this time not because of slumber but due to shame, I believe. But, who cares as long as the serene morning is not disturbed by yet another tuneless toad from the bingle bob? I plugged in my head phones and lungi dance took on and I said to myself – who’s the THALAIVA(boss) now?

                   WHEN WILL WOMEN BREATHE FREE?

“AGLE JANAM MOHE BITYA NAA KIJO……………”. I got to hear these lines while watching a daily soap on a television channel (obviously with my mom). The translation goes like this – “Oh Almighty! Do not make me be born again as a daughter…..”. I was a little baffled, to be honest, as to why would a woman make such a discomfited statement because it did not sound logical to me with someone raising a hue and cry over the gender endowed upon. I, like so many of the unconcerned males of this flamboyant nation, was too much ignorant to the atrocities that women, irrespective of their age, have to undergo each day on the streets, in the offices and even within the walls of their own homes. I was just 14 then and was not at all aware of what harassment meant but I knew it was something ugly, 8 years later, even now there is not a day when I do not come across a news headline highlighting the fact that this nation, with a great cultural heritage, that worships females as goddess, has become a breeding ground for innumerable diabolic wolverines and sabertooths who can rip off a woman’s dignity whenever and wherever they desire to do so. The recent unfortunate events in the heart of our motherland have shocked me to the core. I cannot even dare to, even by mistake, conceive of the pain and the humiliation that, those poor sisters of mine have to bear as a result of the barbaric treatment inflicted upon them, now and again.

The question is why are women being subject to such heinous behaviour? Does that mean that they have to stick to old chauvinistic statutes of bygone eras? Today when women are receiving education and are excelling in every domain in life thus claiming their rights over public spaces, then these incidences can only be attributed to the insecurity that some of the primitive, uneducated egoistic and brainless menfolk harbour in their mind. And now, when public is on streets protesting against these inhuman activities then we get to hear all kinds of possible excuses that can be formulated by the concerned authorities and not to forget the silly comment on the maryada that Indian women are supposed to follow. Today women are afraid to venture out after dark because, with family or not, they are not sure if they are going to return safely. They have to be always watchful - of the lustful eyes of innumerable men that are scanning them head to toe, of the venomous lips that are passing lewd remarks and of those devilish hand without faces that touch them in a crowded spot. There is no respite for women, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, married, unmarried or widowed. From a toddler to a senior citizen, women are being subject to every form of harassment mercilessly.

I use public transport for commuting to and fro my workplace and it is a daily routine that I witness an uncivilized gesture towards women in some form or the other, which includes an autorikshaw driver deliberately stopping his vehicle in front of a woman and trying to compel her to board it, then the ’elite and educated’ young men from various colleges diagnosing the framework of some random young girl and then passing some uncultured remarks or throwing that predatory smile et cetera. Not so different is the corporate culture of our nation where the men are yet to come to terms with the fact that women can be equally competent as they are. One can very easily gauge out to the cases of sexual harassment in the offices - a senior official demand romantic pleasures in return of increment and promotions, a female employee being ogled at for the kind of garments she dons, a male colleague placing his hands on their female counterpart’s knees in the name of casual conversations, morphed photographs to seek revenge and degrade a female employee’s image and credentials and the list goes on. There is no place where one can assure the safety of women and this is an extremely shameful fact for a nation that boasts of its cultural richness.

Now the question arises, why do rape incidents occur? Is it just the lust in the menfolk of our society that is not quenched even with the, more than enough, dosage of vulgarity being served on a silver platter by films and with the extremely uncivilized lyrics being used in the popular numbers? Or, is it some other reason that is driving these inhuman barbarians towards insanity? According to what I have observed in the newspaper articles, the bulletins being broadcasted and the debates being conducted, the reason comes out to be – ‘pure and unadulterated quest for total dominance’ arising due to their extremely high patriarchal egos! According to an article published in one of India’s leading newspapers, the psychoanalysis of a rapist shows that:

1. A rapist has undergone some kind of sexual exploitation, sometime in his life, which he wants the opposite gender to suffer.
2. A rapist is very insecure about the fact that the opposite gender can overshadow his potential.  
3. A rapist wants to inflict his sexual fantasies on his opposite gender.
4. A rapist wants to exercise complete dominance over his opposite gender.
5. A rapist has a chauvinistic mind-set that women are subject to exploitation only.

This is quite a clear indicator in itself that perpetrators of such heinous a crime as rape  are not mentally very sound, ethically ill-mannered and morally corrupt. This all is the outcome of the chauvinism that has percolated over the centuries in this male dominated, son worshipping and ‘whatever-crap-term-you-can-think-of’ society of ours.

                I do not know what measure to suggest because it hardly would be implemented because, firstly, this is a non-commercial blog and secondly, we Indians have a very obnoxious habit of ‘moving on’ irrespective of whatever crap that happens around us. Still, considering myself a part of this neo-India that knows the difference between right and wrong I would want to throw in a few suggestion, which are:

1. Co-educational schooling should be encouraged with special emphasis on sex education and gender awareness.
2. Parents should take the onus if ensuring equality between their male and female children and thus encourage them to reflect this gender equality in all spheres of life.
3. Menfolk should realize that there is no difference, except for the biological, between them and their female counterparts.  
4. Strict administrative measures should be taken to protect the women, especially after dark.
5. Perpetrators of sexual crimes should be inflicted upon harsh punishments to instil fear in the minds of those who harbour wrong intentions in their heart towards women, because often it has been observed that when all else fails fear does not.
6. Police force should be made more aware of the sensitivity of the issue.
7. No person, irrespective of their designation, should be allowed to issue any derogatory statement that intends to degrade the image and the rights of women.

It’s time we shed the false skin of patriarchal diktats and move towards building a society that treats and individual with proper respect irrespective of the gender, caste, religion or creed. It is time we stop paying heed to corrupted and crippled bureaucrats who issue crap statements against the poor women and girls who fell prey to this barbaric act known as rape. It is time we make the streets and the offices as safe for the women of our country as their homes are. It is time when we protect our asmita so that every girl child who is born in this part of Earth proudly says ‘AGLE JANAM MOHE BITYA HI KIJO…………’.

                                THE WRETCHED SIDE OF LIFE

I woke up one morning,

but realized it wasn't me,

Besides my bed wasn't the usual pair of slippers,

neither was the familiar green tea.

I saw my reflection in the mirror 

and witnessed a demented image,

My thoughts and ambitions had been altered,

 and my once a peaceful world was now a wreckage.

There was no beacon of light to look for, 

my own sky was shrouded by a dark cloud,

I had lost faith in the theory of good times, 

my inner voice was chocked out.

There were people whom I trusted,

whom I adored from the core of my heart,

But they turned out to be the harbingers of pain 

and drove me stark.

Something is tearing me apart ,

I feel I am two people within,

One half of me wants to raise his voice and fight the odds,

The other half just wants to give in.

I know there are people for whom

I have to bear with my colorless life,

But when will I live for myself?

Sometimes, I feel like quitting

and kill the rebel within and dump the corpse in a shelf.

Why do we always have to restraint 

from acting the way we want to act? 

Everybody needs to understand, 

that there are times when we need to follow our heart

because for everything there can’t be a tact.

What will you do when you are cornered, 

being referred to as unusual?

What will you do when among the hundreds around you, 

there are none sharing your opinion, 

with whom your feeling are mutual?

There is no one to relieve you of the pain,

neither a messiah nor a prophet,

You have lost your will to live 

because no more are you a destiny’s child,

but a mere entangled puppet.

I do not know when it all be over,

I can see no light at the end of the road,

Time presses on me like a boulder of cactus,

and my shoulders can take no more of this unwanted load.

And feeling the dusk of my life approaching, I pray-

“Oh Dear Lord! Why can’t you just slice my throat 

with a stroke of your all mighty knife?

Because, I do not if it is beautiful, 

having been always the witness,

of the wretched side of life!".

                                       GOD......as i know HIM.

I am a religious guy and therefore I dedicate my first article to The Almighty, but this article pertains to my perception of Him. I feel blessed and perhaps I assume myself to be God’s own child, because as per my observation , whenever I have strayed from my path and mistakenly led myself to be entangled in the cobwebs of gloom, He has, by means that have been strict or sort of amusing , led me out. In fact, whenever I have disgraced my own existence with actions and reactions that do not correspond to those of the so called normal living biological samples of Homo Sapiens, He has, somehow, created such situation or led me into such scenarios, that I myself was willing to accept my mistakes and redeem them. 

I believe, that God is more of our own moral consciousness, which is quite evident by the fact that we have been passed on this notion through generations - that God is in everything that surrounds and us and most importantly God resides in our heart, our breathe, our mind – in short, we are Him and He  is us. The Vedas state – when there was nothing then the Tridevas visualized what the human world is going to be like and then created everything that fits well in, our very own, human frame of mind. What I feel is that, the Tridevas correspond to three states of our mind that is, construction, maintenance and destruction (and of course recycling in today’s eco-friendly era). 

God is actually a guiding light that wants us to stick to the noble path in life; it is our character that decides how long we can follow his footsteps. Consider the example of an airport, the landing strip illuminated by the lights symbolizes the correct way of living. It, completely, depends on the pilot as to how well can he identify those signals and land correctly. Similarly, the Divine One can show us the right road to our ultimate goal, that is, salvation, by giving us those hints which can be a gut feeling or a bad omen or the natural insight to view things as bad or good.

Our mana (the human mind) tends to deviate from walking towards moksha(salvation) and gets caught somewhere in the crossroads. It is our duty to leave every distraction aside and concentrate only on the ultimate purpose, so that when we disintegrate back into the five elements, we can reunite ourselves with the greatest soul. As a lost child runs into the arms of his father or mother when called from a distance, we all need to clear the mists of our eyes that are mesmerized by maya (desires), and go and surrender our souls to The Great One, so that He can expand our tiny and materialistic approach towards life into a fruitful one.

  TWAMEVA MATA CHA PITA TWAMEVA, TWAMEVA BANDHU CHA SAKHA TWAMEVA, TWAMEVA VIDYA DRAVIDAM TWAMEVA, TWAMEVA SARWAM MAM DEVA DEVA.

4/10/2013

1.       Debilitate:

Meaning – to decapitate, to weaken.

            Sentence- The retirement of Glenn McGrath debilitated the Australian pace attack.

2.       Thraldom:

              Meaning- bondage.

Sentence- Negative thinking is like a thraldom, as it restricts one from achieving one’s true potential.

3.       Cyrenaicism:

Meaning – Greek school of philosophy.

Sentence- The author of the manuscripts unearthed from the excavation site is unknown but I guess they belong to cyrenaicist period of Greek history.

 

4.       Tenor:

Meaning- general meaning.

Sentence- Indian media should understand the tenor made in public and then raise hue and cry about it.

5.       Seething:

Meaning- raging.

Sentence- Ramesh was seething with anger at the sight of his arch rival Suresh..

 

6.       Diffidence:

Meaning- lack of confidence.

Sentence- He excelled at the written test but his diffidence during the interview led his rejection in his dream company.

 

7.       Staid:

Meaning-  to sedate, sober.

Sentence- a. The victim was staid and then robbed of his belongings.

                     b. Prateek is a staid guy. I am sure he will never even touch alcohol.

 

8.       Impertinent:

Meaning-  irrelevant, not worth in a specific context.

Sentence- Ravi’s presence is impertinent in today’s meeting.

 

9.       Tacit:

Meaning- implicit, which is understood without being said.

Sentence- The hatred between the two stepbrothers was tacitly understood by other family members..

 

10.   Construe:

Meaning- to analyze or examine carefully.

Sentence- CBI construed the evidences and then framed charges against the minister’s son.