Citation

Hamil M. CLCWeb - Comparative Literature and Culture 2021; 23(3).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021)

DOI

10.7771/1481-4374.3587

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Middle Eastern violence and terrorism are not novel subjects in world cinema, especially American cinema. The Arab and/or Muslim other in these films is always presented as someone who epitomizes a culture of violence, directed mostly against innocent civilians. Against the backdrop of Hollywood's stereotypical representation of Middle-Easterners as advocate of indiscriminate terror and terrorism, Arab filmmakers have turned in recent years to the representation of terror and religious extremism. Paradise Now (Abu Assad 2005) and Horses of God (Ayouch 2012) address the controversial issue of suicide bombing with the same motivation: to examine the choice of suicide bombing within its immediate socio-economic and politico-religious milieu. Both works have raised eyebrows in the Arab world as well as in the West as to their unorthodox cinematographic representation of terrorism. For a reason. Both films tend to demystify the idea of martyrdom while still granting the suicide bombers their humanity. © Purdue University Press. Purdue University.

Language: en