Jessy Moussallem's Ode to Arab Women
A celebration of power and grace the women of the Middle East, Jessy Moussallem’s music video ‘Roman’ for rock band Mashrou’ Leila uses dance to give voice to people who are so often portrayed as voiceless victims in Western media. It’s also a liberation call. Shot all over Jessy’s home country of Lebanon with a cast of 100 women and in 40C heat, the production was ambitious and at times challenging, but the effort has been worth it because film is a thing of beauty.
Jessy graduated from the Lebanon Academy of Arts in 2010 and has spent time honing her craft in Barcelona and Paris. She has recently joined forces with Caviar for representation in the U.K., Amsterdam and Brussels and they, along with Beirut-based Clandestino, helped Jessy bring the powerful promo to life. LBB caught up with Jessy to find out more…
LBB> What was it about the track that lent itself to the ideas of Arab women’s strength?
JM> This film is an ode to the strength and grace of Arab women. The thrust of the video however is one word from the song’s refrain: ‘Aleihum’ – ‘Charge’. It’s a cry for liberation, a way of “treating oppression not as a source of victimhood, but as the fertile ground from which resistance can be weaponized.”
LBB> How did you cast the video?
JM> For the casting, I tried to cast the main women in Lebanon but I wasn’t successful in finding any. So, I did the casting on Skype and found a European Arab Lady living in France. She had a strong and wild look but yet there was grace in her eyes that made me realise she would be my leading lady.
For the remaining women, it was a mix of women from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Palestine. They were from all ages from eighteen up to sixty-five.
LBB> Can you tell me about the locations – where was it shot and how do the locations help amplify the ideas of the video?
JM> The film was shot in the four corners of Lebanon.
The still pale landscape allows the force of the women’s resolute dignity to radiate, as the dancer’s fierce movements cut through the quietude.
LBB> In terms of the choreography, particularly the solo elements, how did you work with the dancer and what kind of story did you want her to tell?
JM> I worked with a choreographer from Barcelona called Tuixen Benet. I think choreography was the best form of expression for this video. Dance is a noble non-violent way to express what I had in mind. It goes beyond language. I wanted a dance that goes hand in hand with the narrative of the film showing women as graceful and determined for liberation.
LBB> What was the most exciting part of the shoot?
JM> Every part of the process was exciting. It wasn’t an easy project. We had a three-day shoot in 40C, with 100 women. Also, I didn’t follow a storyboard all the time because some of the locations were confirmed on the same day of the shoot. I wasn’t looking at my monitor but standing close to the women acting, dancing and talking with them. It was a beautiful experience, I had goose bumps all the time.
Now thinking about it, the editing process was also super challenging as we only had two days but working with my mate Carlos Font Clos is always magical.
LBB> What were the biggest challenges involved in creating the video?
JM> Music video budgets aren’t big, as usual. but I was lucky to have had Clandestino and Caviar that believed in the project and a crew that made the film happen no matter what.
LBB> From fighting for equal rights to wearing a T-shirt that says Feminism AF. What does feminism look like today, for you?
JM> To be honest. I have a problem with feminism. It has become so toothless that I can’t really identify with it. I don't reject the label feminist but I think in 2017 it has been rebranded into banality. The universalizing and marketing of feminism has made it somehow pointless.
Feminism has been used as a trend this year in fashion, politics and films... I just watched a series that ends with a bunch of women running together to kill one man.
It feels like the word feminism has been ascribed to a very strict men and female gender binary. If all we do is focus on male/female differences, we can't see our similarities and if we can't see our similarities we can't come to the middle. The middle is crucial because if we can actually get there we would be living in a truly liberated and welcoming society.
I think we have to go back to what is really at stake which is liberation and not only equality.
In my films, I celebrate women, I let them be. I don't use them as a marketable product because it's cool and trendy. I think by doing so we are harming women more!
In ROMAN, I had to put the band in it. At first, I wasn't very happy to do so because I wanted it to be less of a typical music video but then I said this is exactly what I want to actually say. This is not a men Vs women film. This is not a 'white' feminist film. I didn't want to portray Middle Eastern women as victims like western media does. This film shows that we all are determined for a sea change.
