9-1-1

9/11 changed the life of many. It affected flight crews like no other day. Thousands of innocent men, women and children of all ethnicity and religions lost their lives. However, it has been used to silence, kill, maim, rape, pillage and destroy hundreds of thousands of innocent lives in Iraq, Afghanista, Pakistan, Palestine, Europe, Russia, North America and pretty much all over the world. Take a moment to remember not only the victims of the two 9/11s but PLEASE also consider the victims of state-sanctioned terrorism conducted in the name of security.

No matter what anyone says, Sept 11, 2001 changed the way people look at Muslims and brown people in general. Life has not been the same for my colleagues that are different shades of brown- that is for sure. We have to constantly justify our existence and have gone through a rainbow of bad feeling. From feeling like we have to over-compensate so people would not judge us, to feelings of anger. From being judged by customers and airport staff to being judged by our own colleagues for being Pakistani and Muslim.

I had to educate myself about what happened on that awful day. However, I also had to educate myself about WHY it happened and how to perhaps help and prevent a recurrence of such an act. Western states have only made my job more dangerous with their wars, killing sprees and violent actions. Today as a flight attendant group we are even more unsafe than on 9/11. Imagine if the one million Iraqi victims of US terror decided to take 'blow back' action against us one day?

Today I think of the victims of the two 9/11 and I think about all the violence perpetrated around the world and I am saddened that peace is not on the horizon. Only war. More war. I fear this anniversary is being used in the USA only to rile up support for more draconian actions and more war.

I hope that at least my colleagues will be mindful of the entire 9/11 industry. For the media and the share holders of the military industry, this day is not about support for the victims of 9/11 but rather support for the military industrial complex.

Let us not be pawns. Let us be in solidarity with peace makers. Let us be in solidarity with educators. Let us be in solidarity with unions and join the fight for justice for all.

Let us be vigilant indeed but for the right reasons! This is my 9-1-1 call for compassion.

BOL: Not speaking for the people it depicts

The much-anticipated new film by Shoaib Mansoor, Bol (speak) is now gracing Western screens. It is a great feat for Mansoor and Pakistani cinema. His last hit Khuda Ke Liye (For God's Sake) did not get wide release. I admire Mansoor and his hard working cast and crew for their dedication to this project. However, there are serious concerns that keep me from joining the masses lauding this film.

The Director

Shoaib Mansoor is well regarded as a great television writer and director as well as a producer for bands of note such as the era-defining Vytal Signs. His films however are over-the-top melodramas that are not far removed from Bollywood with their caricatured depictions of complex characters and simplification of issues. In Khuda Key Liyay he tackled terrorism but from a strictly middle class Pakistani perspective. His white western characters were uni-dimensional. The dedication of the British man who helps the heroine get out of her trauma is merely brushed off. He is abandoned by her despite their unflinching love for each other. It also showed Pakistani military as a force against terror instead of questioning its contribution to terror. The only Sikh character (the neighbor in the USA) was depicted as the one who sells out the Muslim Pakistani. In fact, Sikh groups were in solidarity with the victims of the 9/11 backlash even more than Muslims and they were also the victims of post 9/11 hate. This oversimplification is presumably educational entertainment for the masses but I would argue that it does more harm than good.

The Plot

The premise of the film is promising. A poor family man (Manzar Sehbai) stuck with a dying business (he is a herbal medicine practitioner) and a family of seven daughters (one of them a hermaphrodite). A film about a man with seven daughters; one would think that fact in itself would provide a brimful of ideas to work with. One can imagine the life so many women would infuse into a household; their energy, their love and their hope. However, the Khan household is more like a Nazi internment camp with the Khan as Hitler. Lina Wertmuller's Seven Beauties, Gillian Armstrong’s Little Women and Fernando Trueba’s Belle Epoque all deal with households filled with women in times of financial distress and extreme poverty. Those films have complex characters whose trajectory is fully satisfying. With Bol we are left with beautiful actresses portraying helpless imbeciles and ghastly caricatured males that are incontrovertibly either good or evil and nothing in between.

The Performances

The film was very well cast. Even minor characters like the female reporter and the pimp's sidekick were really intriguing. I wanted to see and hear more of them.

One could have such fun with the examination of this hermaphrodite character Saifulla (portrayed wonderfully by Amr Kashmiri) and her view of the world around her (I refer to the character as female as that is who she was inclined towards identifying with in the movie). Alas no interiority was ever divulged except for a desire for drag. Amr Kashmiri had a challenging role to tackle as a brutally rejected child of an ignorant and oppressive father. He is made to be 'artistic' yet a bit of an imbecile who stutters. Laying those thick layers of dysfunction is cruel at the best of times. It made Saifu a pitiful character with next to no dignity so that when he does meet his sad fate, most people in the audience might even feel it was all for the better rather than see it as a heinous crime. As if being raped and molested is not enough, the character has to suffer the further indignity of being murdered at the hands of his father- an honor killing that the town and the family quickly recovers from.

There are other outstanding actors in the film who are also not utilized to their full potential. The fiery Humaima Malik plays the only daughter with strength and conviction to challenge her brute father and that too in the most subservient and docile manner. As in most misogynist depictions of strong female characters in cinema, this one too has to die at the end. No happy ending for the outspoken. Quiet subservience always wins over challenging patriarchy and oppression.

Shafqat Cheema is arguably the most lovable and hilarious pimp South Asian cinema has ever offered. His performance was convincing. Atif Aslam and Mahira Khan play love interests. They both have the most sympathetic faces that were just not given enough screen time or dialog to show any kind of depth. One assumes Aslam is a sweet fellow because he is the only man that is not revolted (or perversely attracted) to Saifi and even respects the obvious crush Saifi has on him (a really nice touch here). However, I assume Aslam is a pretty sweet fellow in life as in art. Aslam portrays the only decent person in the film. Most of the other men seem to be sex crazed maniacs who collude in child molestation and rape. Apparently straight Pakistani males in the trucking business are attracted to pudgy, mentally challenged, effeminate men.

As is the case with most South Asian film directors, Mansour made the hijra (eunuch) who comes to take away the hermaphrodite child, a most unattractive and hideous looking creature to be detested even more than the vile father himself. The fact that the hijra is the darkest skinned person in the entire film is also a matter reflective of white supremacy within Pakistani society.

Class:

Mansoor's film helps perpetuates the status quo while ignoring the elephant in the room that is class in Pakistani society. Happiness is associated with consumerism. Consumerism is represented as a positive middle class value. The family have to hide the television from their father. They are not allowed to go shopping. Bol addresses subject matter often overlooked by mainstream Pakistani cinema but never delves into those issues below the surface level. Bol leaves the audience dumfounded with its extreme depictions of characters. The father is a vile creature unable to comprehend the world in any way other than his own. He keeps trying to marry his daughters off to unsuitable men despite a failed attempt with the first one. He keeps his daughters from getting educated past grade five even though the school is right next door. He is respected in the community as the healer hakim (herbipath) despite his awful behavior towards his wife and children. He has friends but they never visit or invite his family over and the girls have no friends at all.

Mansoor is very heavy handed. Bol normalizes oppressive, dysfunctional, middle class norms of Pakistani society such as its concepts of ‘decent’ women and ‘good boys’ being obedient and pious. It perpetuates the status quo and gives credence to power hierarchy in Pakistani society- the noble president makes progressive gestures. The 'normal' guy is fun loving and family oriented yet just the right amount of religious. I would like to think that the Pakistani audience need no longer be spoon fed. Western audiences too know enough about South Asia and international cinema to detect dishonesty in representations of South Asians in cinema.

The Politics

Bol is a perverse film masquerading as a progressive work. It is morally, emotionally and cinematically muddled because it does not actually care to dwell in the hearts and minds of the character it depicts long enough to give them their own voice. The characters are merely landscape in their own melodrama. I do not think Bol does anything to further the cause of women or sexual minorities in Pakistan. It normalizes extreme behaviors such as violence within families and perpetuates stereotypes of 'truck drivers' as sexually deviant child molesters and eunuchs as perpetual recruiters for sexual minorities. It removes responsibility from the state despite considering it corrupt at every level. The president is somehow not only very white but also a noble man sitting at the top of the privilege ladder who will be affected by television news and make things better for all. Real life dictator Parvez Musharraf did nothing for 'Mukhtara Mai' whose rape case (and that of her brother's) brought international embarrassment to his government.

I like the parallel between the pious Mr Khan in white and the pimp who wears black. The pimp however seems much happier and treated his women with more dignity than the pious family man. As if her attraction was not baffling enough, why Iman Ali's character Meena would hand over her daughter to this brutal man who holds his family hostage and treats his daughters like tripe is also a mystery.

The Shia/ Sunni divide and its treatment is also very dubious. Shia's are 'naturally' more open minded about sex trade work than are the ultra pious Sunnis. Shia indulge in prostitution but not Sunnis. It is subtle but this pro-Sunni bias is definitely there in the film.

Technical Aspects

Technically the film takes focus pulling to a whole new level with confounding rack focuses that leave the viewers confused about where to look. The cinematography was inconsistent and I am assuming different stocks were used because the color was inconsistent from one shot to the next within the same scene (as in the song with the whole family). Perhaps hasty post color correction is to blame. The sound and ADR also leave something to be desired. The film was shot in studio so there is no excuse for bad voiceover.

The media scrum around the prisoner that is to be executed plays out like a theatrical farce. The flashback device fails because the whole scenario is too unlikely to suspend disbelief. There is definitely some thought in art direction but that too is unnecessarily over the top as a boy would not be dwelling in a 17^th century castle bedroom. The film has the esthetic of an Alper’s milk commercial with some delicious tracking shots through the Badshahi mosque which would be more suitable in a commercial but do nothing to further the story here.

The music in the film is also not remarkable. The soundtrack is oppressive and orchestrating emotions, trying to pull tears out of the audience. There is no time to breathe and just take it in.

When Khuda ke Liyay came out, everyone said the film should not be criticized, as it is a good attempt from a flailing film industry. What excuse will we have for Bol? Mansoor is the only filmmaker representing Pakistan internationally. As such it is important that his work be examined in detail so that it may perhaps improve. Cinematic representation is a window into the heart of the country and its artistic milieu. In my opinion Bol does not speak truth to the masses. Bol does not speak truth to power. Like Khuda it effectively sidesteps the issue of class division in Pakistan as the root cause for socio-political unrest. It also fails to target cultural norms of patriarchy imbued in religious practice that are stifling Pakistani society. It definitely reinforces negative stereotypes of sexual minorities and reinforces homophobia by depicting homosexual attraction as a mental illness. It works against any progressive feminist agenda by not empowering any of the surviving female characters with a voice. It effectively says that if you want things to change around you, then effectively ‘Mut Bol’ (Don’t speak) and let others fight your fight for you. If you speak out or dare to be different you will end up dead. Perhaps martyred, but definitely… dead!

Trials and Tribulations of Independence

I am going to start writing about my struggle with a totally independent short film called DOGGONED.

This summer I decided to make the most of my life and be really productive. In May I made a short film called BROWNIE. From concept to DVD it took me 27 days to make Brownie. I wanted to meet the deadline for the Toronto International Film Festival. Yesterday I received word that Brownie was not selected by the festival programmers. Brownie was made for under $1000. It is a cute and funny little film. It has subversive elements such as the idea of an Arab protagonist in what is essentially a take on contemporary sitcom culture which is either black or white. Brownie is still in the festival circuit and I will be uploading it on my website in a few months.

In June I worked on some projects for other friends. I came across a really funny story from a friend of a friend. It was an instantly likeable story and I decided to make a short film out of it. It turned out to be an urban legend as well but I do wonder how many people have ever heard about it. We shall wait and see.

I incorporated the issue of work permits, legal status and student poverty into the film. So many of my friends, colleagues and family members have had to suffer through that at one point in life or another and it is an issue not commonly discussed in the media. International students right out of university have very few options; either get a work permit somehow, get married or leave the country.

I wanted to shoot Doggoned properly using super 16 film format and with a good budget. I asked a friend to play producer. He agreed on co-producer and that eventually fell through as pre-production started.

With less than 10 days to go, I still have to raise $4,000 of the $5000 budget of the film. It is stressful but I must now concentrate on the production and not on the finances. It is a terrible thing to have to wear the producer AND the director hat. I will avoid this in future projects. Right now, a crew of about twenty is looking up to me for guidance.

I have already gone through several auditions and three different leading ladies. We have settled on the lovely and charming Ulka Simone Mohanty- a Montreal dancer and theater actor. The cast and crew are serious up and coming talents in the Canadian film scene and our team is really strong. Let's see how well we work together.

Juggling finances, relationships and friendships. That is what life is all about. That is what being a full time filmmaker and independent artist is all about. Let's see how it goes.

DOGGONED: A short film by arshad khan

'Race' Key to Lack of Aid for Pakistan Flood

"A humanitarian catastrophe of terrifying proportions is unfolding in Pakistan, with a fifth of the country under water, and millions of people homeless and desperately needing assistance"-AVAAZ.ORG

Two weeks after the monsoons brought floods to my land of birth, and two weeks after news bulletins and videos of devastation, there is still no outpouring of concern from most of my friends in the West. The reason there is such a lack of Western sympathy for Pakistan is because the media has successfully demonized the Muslim/Pakistani/ South Asian as the modern day "nigger/Jew". Whereas the racist word 'nigger' no longer holds the power it did even twenty years ago, the brunt of ignorance and hatred falls squarely on the South Asian/ Muslim/ Pakistani- aka 'Paki'. The use of the derogatory term 'Paki' too is accepted in the vernacular by a vast majority of people right here in 'liberal' Canada. This is the real reason Pakistan is not getting any aid. Racism! It is clear from the articles and responses to these articles which are justifying (if not outright encouraging) people not to help with the flood relief effort. Here in Quebec we read La Presse and find popularity for absurd articles by the likes of Patrick Lagace finding enthusiasm amongst so-called sophisticated readers. "Hmm... interesting" they claim. "Good article" they endorse on their facebook walls and posted responses.

The Tamil refugee saga and the Masjid fiasco in New York are happening in tandem with this flood in Pakistan. The reactions to the articles on mainstream Canadian media to these events are also overwhelmingly negative, conservative and racist. In the Guardian in Britain they claim that we have given them (South Asians/ 'Pakis') enough and that they are already a burden on the healthcare and welfare system, (particularly speaking about those born in the U.K) and they blame 'the genetic diseases that these people' bring with them. To add insult to injury the mostly unsympathetic comments rejecting assistance to Pakistan also include "you reap what you sow".

I recently watched a Youtube video of Jackie Onasis (as Mrs. Kennedy) visit to a glorious, colourful, EatPrayLove-ish orientalist Pakistan. It was a Pakistan of high heels, tight dresses and sleeveless tops. Women's emancipation was in the forefront of that Pakistan. The men too looked handsome and well groomed. None of this ugly, bearded, Talibani getup. That was a Pakistan headed for educational, cultural and financial prosperity. That was a Pakistan with a glimmer of hope. It was a Pakistan where democratic system could be seen to start taking root. Alas that was not to be. The Coup d'état of the U.S backed Zia-ul-Haq ensured the death of democratic Pakistan. Zia almost single-handedly crushed secular thought and destroyed the educational infrastructure of the country. He was so dedicated to the U.S. agenda that neither Musharraf nor Zardari have been able to beat his record for destruction of the Pakistani socio-political infrastructure and self-gain.

The West was all in favour of this military dictator Zia and his cronies and loved the proxy war against the Soviets and cheered on as orphans were turned into militants in poor madrassas across the country. The tables only turned when the Taliban government refused to cooperate with the US and gave its lucrative oil pipeline deal to Russia instead of the USA. That was just before 9/11. Now all of a sudden women's issues were at the forefront for 'saving' the Afghans from themselves. Meanwhile women's situation deteriorated ten fold after the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2002. To this day the Time Magazine tries to trumpet women's liberation as the reason for Afghan involvement without once asking the women of Afghanistan what they really want. In 2009 ousted female Afghan MP Malalai Joya risked her life trying to appeal to Western 'democracies' to listen to the plight of Afghanis and not to trust the likes of Warlords like Karzai (read 'Woman Among Warlords'). No one cared to listen. We did not see Joya on Larry King Live or on the cover of Time Magazine or MSNBC did we? No. It is clear that Western interest in that region has not and will not ever go beyond exploitation and abuse and beyond the extent of colonization for resources. The 'War on Terror' is a lie that even the perpetrators of the lie no longer believe.

Into this malaise comes the 2005 earthquake and now the debilitating 2010 flood- the worst in recent human history and labeled worst than the 2006 Tsunami, 2005 Earthquake, Katrina and 2009 Haiti earthquake combined. And under these circumstances what do we hear from the so-called 'liberal' and even 'critical of war and invasion' media?

Patrick Lagace squarely blames the victims in his articles and tries to convince the readers not to give aid to the victims of natural disasters. He cites government corruption and budget misappropriation as reasons not to give to Pakistan. Lagace also feels that the people evading taxes in Pakistan should perhaps pay for the aid including ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who has apparently not paid his taxes in years (I am sure its Lagace's Wikipedia research talking). When I call Lagace out on his self-righteous, racist sermon about Pakistan having money to buy fighter jets and no money for its own citizens (we will disregard the fact that Pakistan is obligated to buy weapons from the same states giving 'aid' as part of the conditions for the aid), there is a head-nodding- 'oh you go too far' by the sophisticates. However, this sort of moral high ground can only be expected from an analysis devoid of the history of feudalism, colonization or the military industrial complex.

Over eighty five percent of the people of Pakistan do not make the decisions of the government. They are hard working farmers, labourers and the like. They have nothing to do with militarism or terror. They just live day to day to provide food for their families. How can Lagace make such lofty judgements about the innocent masses of Pakistan? If Lagace does not want to give because of his own racism or prejudice or conceit, fine. At least as a journalist he should research what he is talking about. Lagace was no friend of Haiti either. However now he seems to have developed a soft spot for Haiti (rated far higher than Pakistan on government corruption) and suggests it worthier of donation that Pakistan.

After Katrina, the most powerful nation on earth was helpless. The water came and just took over the entire city of New Orleans. However the water also receded. In Pakistan the rains are relentless and show no sign of stopping. In Haiti hundreds of thousands died and were later buried. Those struck by the Pakistan floods might as well be dead- they are homeless, shelterless, they need to be fed, they have no clean drinking water, disease is on the rise and help is slow to say the least. It is such a different situation that these tiny racist sound bytes and one-liners from these moronic 'journalists' just do not address any of the issues that the already suffering people of Pakistan face. They cannot explain the situation even if they tried because the web of lies surrounding the dehumanization of Pakistanis and Muslims is just so vast.

UN spokesperson Murizio Giuliano stated that "the challenges are absolutely massive and the floods are not over. The size of (the area affected by) this disaster is equivalent to Austria, Switzerland and Belgium combined. That's pretty scary". The US is the biggest donor and so far they have spent $150 million, however they spend $20 billion on the wars in the region in just one month (Al Jazeera.com). In Canada Harper spent over a billion dollars on security for the G8/G20 but only managed $31 million for Pakistan flood victims- no matching dollar for dollar and no mass appeals for aid. Richard Holbrooke, Obama's special envoy to the AfPak region is still perpetrating lies about 'terrorist elements' in the flood refugee camps. Also, while Pakistan is experiencing this catastrophe the USA is continuing their drone attacks on its soil.

White supremacy and racism in relation to the superior race were invented in order to justify African slavery and Native genocide. The 'War on Terror' dehumanizes Muslims to the very same effect and the results are astounding- especially if you're brown. While people are dying, Westerners have the luxury of pondering on whether they like the "image" of Pakistan or not! Shame on papers like La Presse for publishing such nonsense and shame on the racists of the 'democratic' West who lap up the lies and deceit despite having access to alternative sources of information that will help them get the truth. If journalists like Lagace want to write about the issue then they should make the journey to Pakistan and see what is going on there before disseminating their hurtful, racist and judgemental tripe. If they think the 'racist' label is inappropriate then they should prove otherwise.

A Sobering Comedy about Farmer Suicides

'Peepli Live' is a brilliant first feature by the talented Anusha Rizvi and produced by big Indian film industry names like Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao and Ronnie Screwvala.

Made in the tradition of the 'nautanki' style (folk theater or operatic drama), 'Peepli' is a salt-of-the-earth style comedy about serious social issues facing India today. The slow pace of the action leaves regular 'Bollywood' junkies dissatisfied. However, Peepli is essential viewing for those desirous of the 'real' India. The India where there is a rigid structure of class that

is only exacerbated by the arrival of technology and media. Omkar Das Manikpuri plays the witless Natha, (the farmer about to commit suicide because he was unable to pay his bank loan) and Raghubir Yadav plays his wittier brother Budhia.

Rizvi has written a very clever story that is at once a sharp critique of the Indian political establishment as well as the cow-towing media and its sensationalism. The film also highlights the brutal and critical issues facing farmers from the likes of powerful IMF and World Bank supported corporations like Sonmanto (actually Monsanto) which buy out the politicians and change laws in order to weaken the social infrastructure of Indian farming society.

'Peepli (Live)' is the antithesis of Bollywood. Whereas Bollywood takes a select few and highlights India's 'whiteness' through manufactured representations, 'Peepli' takes the masses and highlights their Indian-ness. 'Peepli' shows what Indians really look like. It shows their wrinkles, their tiredness, their happiness, their brightness- all without the glitz and glamour of Bollywood. It humanizes India and every wrinkle on the frail and elderly farmer's face (the one digging his own grave) speaks volumes without the farmer ever uttering a word.

The West clearly realizes the errors of technology and industrialization; the BP Gulf oil spill being a case in point. 'Peepli' documents the struggle Indian farmers are facing and highlights the plight of the farming community in the face of great corporate and government pressure. There are lessons to be learned from capitalist corporate peddling and 'Peepli' is a wakeup call.

'Peepli' is reviving the tradition of nautanki and bringing back the truth to the world about the suffering of the masses and the humanity of the people of India. The viewer comments have been disheartening because as usual the masses going to cinemas are used to the formula flick and editing tricks that quench their thirst for sensationalism. 'Peepli' critiques this very need for the sensational over the real and puts the audience in the uncomfortable position of self-reflexivity and self-examination. There is a poignant scene where one of the television crews is examining the farmer's excrement which directly challenges the viewer to examine the depths that we will descend to in order to get a good scoop.

I really enjoyed 'Peepli' and hope to see more though-provoking independent Indian cinema. I can't wait to see what Rizvi does next.

Expendables Glorifying Mercenaries

The trailer for the new Hollywood juggernaut 'The Expendables' starts with the line "they are the world's greatest mercenaries". If that is not enough to turn you off wait till you see what it is all about.

Boasting a loaded cast of action heroes from the last three decades including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Shwarzeneggar, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren, Micky Rourke and Jet Li, 'Expendables' promises to be a no-brain, action-packed, non-sensical, blow 'em-up dick flick. It led Stephen Coles of the Globe and Mail to comment that "there's so much slugging and shooting, so much loose testosterone, male viewers might sprout another testicle".

When George Bush asked Hollywood for help, he got more than he could have dreamed of. While serious films about war are bombing at the box office (Road to Guantanamo, Taxi to the Darkside, Standard Operating Procedure), films that justify illegal armies and glorify the Americans and their agents turning the world into the 'Wild West' seem to be gaining popularity. Is it the overall idiocy of the masses or the fact that people actually endorse this kind of debauched behaviour? Would Al Qaeda not be considered a mercenary army by the same logic? Would the so-called "illegal combatants" not have the same legitimacy as these glorified American mercenary heroes?

The reason there seems to be unlimited resources for this sort of nonsense film (I am sure funded partly by the Pentagon) is because it plays into the justification of real mercenary armies that the USA is using around the world (as in Blackwater in Iraq and now in Pakistan and Afghanistan under the new name 'Xe Worldwide'). This sort of irresponsible film should not be supported at all. In fact it should be banned.

My hope is that at least people that are the victims of mercenary army violence stop supporting such militaristic and brutal film projects. Whereas comedies about Bin Laden (like the recent 'Teray Bin Laden') are banned in places like Pakistan (for they might offend the Taliban), I am sure this will be a big blockbuster hit because the censor boards will never put two and two together; not when they themselves will be first in line at the cinema along with their kit and caboodle.

I hope films like these stop raking millions but instead lose money so that Hollywood learns a lesson. If you want to watch seniors running around and behaving like pubescent teenagers, then I would recommend this film. I for one will not be spending money in a cinema and would urge my friends and acquaintances to either not go and support this film or to at least try to watch it online.