SPEED SISTERS by Amber Fares @ Kino Svetozor (Prague, CZ)
Documentary, Palestine/USA/Qatar/UK/Denmark/Canada. This screening was part of the One World Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, and took place on 12/03/2016, 19:30.
I had an interview lined up with one of the protagonists of this film. Can you guess whether or not that might have happened...?
Of course not. But still, aside from the opportunity of interviewing guests presenting this film (the director was also originally scheduled to be there, but in the end he too canceled), this film dealt with another theme that is close to my heart - feminism. I mean, feminism in the way I intend it, not the general perception of feminism being some sort of a silly anti-male movement.
I knew that this was a film about palestinian female race drivers, and despite the fact that I really have no interest in cars, I loved the subject. I attended this screening with my friend Lucien. We didn't plan it, we just asked each other what films we would be seeing later, and he was going to see it too. He also brought a friend of his along.
Ok, so the film was fun and entertaining, but aside from the novelty of the concept, I felt like it could have gone in depth more on some of the things that should have concerned its central subject, like the male opposition to these female drivers, that according to some people with more staunch, die-hard beliefs, are sinners and should be damned for all eternity. The fact that it didn't even come close to doing that made this film, like I said, nothing more than good fun, especially for those who love the sound of an engine revving. Lucien and his friend weren't too impressed either. I believe that they were less impressed than me. That's what happens, you win some, you lose some.
Two annoying things about the screening. The pritagonist was indeed supposed to attend it, but she didn't show up. Which I guess should have made me suspicious, but given that my interview was scheduled for two days later, I didn't pay any mind. The worst was a lady, sitting somewhere behind me, who would occasionally burst into lengthy, annoying bouts of laughter for apparently no reason. I mean, the film has a sense of humour, no doubt, which is also what occasionally makes it so entertaining. But she would laugh at the most random moments. And it was a lengthy laugh too. And she would be the only one. I could tell she was with someone, perhaps on a date. Alarm bells there, mate...