This documentary on Moroccan superstar band Nass El Ghiwane transported me to another culture and style of music, and for that alone, it was a joy watching. There is so much power in the call and response vocalization, with lyrics dealing with politics, love, peace, and the struggle of what it means to be Moroccan in a way that seems to embrace the listener. There is also hypnotic power in the percussion and banjo work, music which puts the listener in a reverie while expressing a universal fellowship. I wish more Americans would experience the music along with the translated lyrics, as I have to believe their humanism would help build a bridge between the two worlds.
I loved how director Ahmed El Maanouni often gave us street scenes and those of everyday people while we hear a song, emphasizing the connection between performer and where they're from. Be forewarned though, there is a shot of an animal writhing around after its neck has been cut, apparently a sacrifice, which, while very brief, was disturbing.
To someone more versed in Moroccan history and music the film would undoubtedly have been easier to follow; for me, a novice, a little more structure or explanation would have helped at times. However, the power of music to make people feel a swell of emotion, to make them lose their rational minds and dance comes through, and it's a beautiful thing to watch, even more so from a culture so different from my own.
I loved how director Ahmed El Maanouni often gave us street scenes and those of everyday people while we hear a song, emphasizing the connection between performer and where they're from. Be forewarned though, there is a shot of an animal writhing around after its neck has been cut, apparently a sacrifice, which, while very brief, was disturbing.
To someone more versed in Moroccan history and music the film would undoubtedly have been easier to follow; for me, a novice, a little more structure or explanation would have helped at times. However, the power of music to make people feel a swell of emotion, to make them lose their rational minds and dance comes through, and it's a beautiful thing to watch, even more so from a culture so different from my own.