 | | A WEEKLY FILM NEWSLETTER PROMOTING ARTHOUSE, REPERTORY, ART, SHORT FORM AND EXPERIMENTAL CINEMA SCREENING IN THE CITY OF MELBOURNE | | May 4 2023
Kash Kash - Without Feathers We Can’t Live (2022)
Directed by Lea Najjar DCP Courtesy: HRAFF Screening at the opening night of the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival on Thursday 4 May Classification: Unclassified 15+
This article contains excerpts from an interview with the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival’s Film Program Manager, Devon Wilton Lang, who will be introducing Kash Kash: Without Feathers We Can’t Live at the festival's opening night held at ACMI on May 4th, 7pm.
Words and interview conducted by Jasper Caverly
The skies of Beirut hold many stories spanning across its long history: occupation of ancient empires, independence, civil war, revolution, and in 2020: one of the largest explosions of the 21st century. Amongst this turbulent history, an unexpected icon of peace has emerged: the pigeon.
Kash Kash - Without Feathers We Can’t Live is the debut feature-length documentary of filmmaker Lea Najjar, whose relatively large oeuvre comprises a number of student-led, short-form documentaries and fictional works. With Kash Kash, her graduating work from the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg, Germany, the 29-year-old director has announced herself to the international film world.
Premiering at the prestigious CPH:DOX festival in Copenhagen, where Najjar won the Next:Wave award for emerging talent, and screening at Berlinale’s 2022 edition, Kash Kash will be screening as the opening night film of Human Rights Arts and Film Festival (HRAFF) 2023 edition. HRAFF’s Film Program manager, Devon Lang Wilton, expressed her confidence in the curation of Kash Kash, citing an ideal union between the organisation's mission statement to empower urgent humanitarian works of art and the film’s tone of resilience and hope. “This film is shot so well, we're often flying high above the city, from a pigeon-eye view, and it highlights the varied perspectives from people in it who speak about the complexities of co-existing in the living world under extreme pressure.
‘It felt like the perfect film to open HRAFF and a perfect place for the film to have its Australian premiere,” says Lang Wilton on her initial response to the film.
Kash Kash sees Najjar employ a mostly observational approach, with occasional participation off-screen, in which she documents the lives of four Beirut locals: each participating to some degree in the game of ‘Kash Hamam’. An ancient tradition involves training and flying pigeons in the city skies, with the objective to capture rival players’ birds and assert your own flock’s dominance. The game's rules are relatively loose, although losing or gaining birds is generally viewed as a win or loss, in good faith with your competitors. According to legend in the MENA region (Middle Eastern and North African nations), the games began in lieu of a prevailing loss of human life, where soldiers were played like pawns between two rival kings.
The subjects of the film each present a unique relationship with Kash Hamam, Najjar outlining each of them in an interview with L’Orient Today. For Hassan, the game is like an addiction, where only aerial superiority will earn him respect in the neighbourhood. The introverted barber Radwan, he finds comfort in the intimacy of the rooftop but admittedly struggles to balance the game with his personal life. Abu-Mustafa plays because it brings him joy to see the birds flying, his care for them father-like and borne of admiration. Finally, a young girl called Aisha, whose curiosity has brought her to the rooftop, at odds with the masculine dominated tradition.
Much like the young gymnasts in the film covered in last week’s edition of KinoTopia, Olga, the pigeons of Kash Kash hold a greater, political weight outside of the games. With Najjar’s film being conceived over a number of years and having to adapt to the ever the shifting political landscape in Beirut. A landscape that inherently dictates the film’s structure, as it includes the 17 October Revolution (2019) and the devastating ammonium nitrate explosion at the Port of Beirut in 2020. |  | "It was necessary to constantly refocus on this microcosm [Kash Hamam] and find a way to express something bigger through it," Najjar told Cineuropa. The games and the documentary’s subjects are intrinsically entwined within the backdrop of Beirut, becoming both a symbol for peace and an act of escapism.
With an eerie sense of anticipation, Abu-Mustafa confesses Lebanon needs ‘an earthquake’ to bring people together in the streets to stand against a government that "pull[s] the blanket to cover only themselves".
In a television interview during the subsequent 17 October Revolution, a Kash Hamam player is documented letting pigeons free into the skies, where pigeons of all colours (breeds in this instance) are let into the sky for onlookers to observe how they fly together. "I’ve brought many different kinds [of pigeons], representing different sects. They all eat, drink and sleep under one roof. They never argue over anything," the player proclaims in response to the crippling 2019 financial crisis in Lebanon.
But the pigeons are more than just political tools for the revolution. For many of the Kash Hamam players they embody a sense of freedom: a simplicity, or in the very least, a desirable way of living. Even the stoic Hassan shows his softest side when he loses his beloved pigeons to a neighbouring keeper, searching the skies in the hopes a straggler will come back to him.
Unfortunately, this liberation from one's self is not a privilege afforded to Aisha, the budding female participant. The reality of a socially embedded misogyny is made agonisingly clear to the audience by Aisha’s uncle and the young boys of her neighbourhood in the sexist bullying of her dreams.
HRAFF’s Lang Wilton appears to agree, lauding Najjar with a clarity of perspective and immense storytelling ability. "What struck me about this film was that it was made by a young woman, documenting a very masculine world on these rooftops. They must have felt a lot of trust with her to speak so openly," Lang Wilton adds, furthering her appraisal for Najjar’s directorial imprint on Kash Kash.
What can be said of all the film’s subjects is that they truly love these birds, even if they play for different reasons. Radwan, who is set to marry, is shown spending money on corn feed (at a heavily inflated price) but unwilling to seek urgent dental care. Similarly, Hassan confesses to preferring pigeons to humans - choosing not to date on the account of his financial priorities. But herein lies an astute contradiction unveiled by Najjar: how can these men who buy and trade, taunt and clip the pigeons' wings really value the welfare of these animals? It’s difficult to gauge whether this criticism is borne of Anglocentrism but what Kash Kash reveals is that the participation in the pigeon game and the players’ supposed intentions of goodwill don’t always align.
Abu-Mustafa is a notable exception here, who declares his thriving brood was founded without a catching net (typical of other Kash Hamam players). "The most important thing is to take care of them…,’ he says, "We love them, because they love us too. Birds do understand a lot." This level of empathy is ratified by his actions, as he is shown beckoning the pigeons back into their aviary by gently tapping a long stick on its roof at the end of each day - as if welcoming them home for the evening’s feed.
Over the course of the film, Kash Hamam’s supposed purpose to supersede violence is, in actuality, ineffective in freeing Beirut’s populace from the tyranny and corruption of the ruling class.
A guest participant in the documentary, a customer of Radwan’s at the barbershop, frankly anguishes a feeling of despair when asked about the country's future. "No matter how much powder and rogue an old woman wears, she’ll never be young again," they analogise, typifying both a widespread chagrin for Lebanese national identity and the depth of a culturally ingrained misogyny. "The film raises pertinent questions about gender inequality, economic instability and political upheaval in Lebanon, but there is so much pride and hope in the communities that live together and that's a huge feat to make something that complex, with so many moving parts (politically and emotionally) and make it sing, or fly in this case!" says Lang Wilton, closing the interview with KinoTopia.
And she’s right, Najjar’s feature-length debut does not moor in the sufferings of Beirut, but rather relishes in the dreams of the Kash Hamam players and their resilience. The pigeons bring them all great joy, a sanctified inner-peace and a raison d’etre in the face of adversity.
As Abu-Mustafa avows, "something connects all pigeon players is that in the end, they all meet in the sky. The sky is full of messengers and many stories," expressing the inherent unity of sharing our lives underneath the same, vast and blue canopy above.
HRAFF’s introduction of Kash Kash: Without Feathers We Can’t Live will be Auslan interpreted and the subsequent screenings will be presented with closed captions.
Screening at the opening night of the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival on Thursday 4 May.
Tickets Here | |
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WEEKLY FILM LISTINGS
May 4 - May 10
ACMI
Human Rights Arts and Film Festival (4-9 May)
Kash Kash
Lea Najjar, 2022
Screening Thursday 4 May 7pm
Saint Omer
Alice Diop, 2022
Screening Saturday 6 May 6:45pm
The Last Daughter
Brenda Matthews & Nathaniel Schmidt, 2022
Screening Sunday 7 May 3:15pm
Corsage
Marie Kreutzer, 2022
Screening Daily
The Watermelon Woman
Cheryl Dunye, 1996
Screening Sunday 7 May 2pm
ARTIST FILM WORKSHOP
No screening this week
ASTOR CINEMA
German Film Festival B-Movie: Lust and Sound in West Berlin 1979-1989 Jörg A. Hoppe, Heiko Lange & Klaus Maeck, 2015
Screening Sunday 7 May 7pm
Infinity Pool
Brendan Cronenberg, 2023
Screening Daily
The Survival of Kindness
Rolf De Heer, 2022
Screening Daily
Beau is Afraid Ari Aster, 2023 Screening Monday 1-3 May
BBBC CINEMA (GALLERYGALLERY BRUNSWICK)
No screenings this week
CAPITOL CINEMA
No screenings this week
CHINATOWN CINEMA
Godspeed
Xiaoxing Yi, 2023
Screening Daily
Born to Fly
Liu Xiaoshi, 2023
Screening Daily
Delicious Romance
Leste Chen and Hsu Chao-Jen
Screening Daily
CINÉ-CLUB (Carlton)
Closed until further notice
CINEMANIACS (ACMI)
No screening this week
CINEMA NOVA
The Survival of Kindness
Rolf De Heer, 2022
Screening Daily
The Inspection
Elegance Bratton, 2022
Screening Daily
Cairo Conspiracy
Tarik Saleh, 2022
Screening Daily
Masquerade
Nicolas Bedos, 2022
Screening Daily
' Polite Society Nida Manzoor, 2023 Screening Daily
My Neighbour Adolf Leonid Prudovsky, 2022 Screening Daily
Beau is Afraid Ari Aster, 2023 Screening Daily
The Giants Rachel Antony, Laurence Billiet, 2023 Screening Daily
Suzume Makoto Shinkai, 2023 Screening Daily
The Innocent Louis Garrel, 2022 Screening Daily
EO Jerzy Skolimowski, 2022 Screening Daily
Air
Ben Affleck, 2023
Screening Daily
Broker Hirokazu Koreeda, 2022 Screening Daily
Of An Age Goran Stolevski, 2022 Screening Daily
Aftersun Charlotte Wells, 2023 Screening Daily
Women Talking Sarah Polley, 2023 Screening Daily
Tár Todd Field, 2022 Screening Daily
Triangle of Sadness Ruben Östlund, 2022 Screening Daily
The Whale Darren Aronofsky, 2023 Screening Daily
The Banshees of Inisherin Martin McDonagh, 2023 Screening Daily
FRENCH FILM CLUB
Maurice Richard (The Rocket)
Charles Binamé, 2005
Screening Thursday 4 May 6:45pm @ Melb Uni Arts West 353
DOGMILK DEGUSTATIONS: Season Two @ Miscellenia
Peau-X
Sam Hewison, Charlie Hewison & Line Gigot
Screening Wednesday 10 May 7pm
THE ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE @ CINEMA NOVA
Crazy Desire
Luciano Salce, 1962
Screening Thursday 4 May 6:30pm
La Terrazza
Ettore Scola, 1980
Screening Sunday 7 May 6:30pm
LIDO / CLASSIC / CAMEO
The Survival of Kindness
Rolf De Heer, 2022
Screening Daily
The Inspection
Elegance Bratton, 2022
Screening Daily
Cairo Conspiracy
Tarik Saleh, 2022
Screening Daily
Masquerade
Nicolas Bedos, 2022
Screening Daily
Polite Society Nida Manzoor, 2023 Screening Daily
My Neighbour Adolf Leonid Prudovsky, 2022 Screening Daily
The Giants Rachel Antony, Laurence Billiet, 2023 Screening Daily
Beau is Afraid Ari Aster, 2023 Screening Daily
Suzume Makoto Shinkai, 2023 Screening Daily
Air
Ben Affleck, 2023
Screening Daily
EO Jerzy Skolimowski, 2022 Screening Daily
Broker Hirokazu Koreeda, 2022 Screening Daily
Aftersun Charlotte Wells, 2023 Screening Daily
Women Talking Sarah Polley, 2023 Screening Daily
THE MELBOURNE CINÉMATHÈQUE(ACMI)
The Swimmer
Frank Perry 1968
Screening Wednesday 10 May 7pm
+
Conversation Piece
Luchino Visconti, 1974
Screening Wednesday 10 May 8:50pm
MELBOURNE HORROR FILM SOCIETY
No screenings this week
PALACE BALWYN / BRIGHTON /COMO / KINO / PENTRIDGE / WESTGARTH
Polite Society Nida Manzoor, 2023 Screening Daily
A Good Person Zach Braff, 2023 Screening Daily
The Giants Rachel Antony, Laurence Billiet, 2023 Screening Daily
Beau is Afraid Ari Aster, 2023 Screening Daily
The Innocent Louis Garrel, 2022 Screening Daily
Suzume Makoto Shinkai, 2023 Screening Daily
EO Jerzy Skolimowski, 2022 Screening Daily
The Pope’s Exorcist
Julius Avery, 2023
Screening Daily
Broker Hirokazu Koreeda, 2022 Screening Daily
Of an Age Goran Stolevski, 2022 Screening Daily
Living Oliver Hermanus, 2022 Screening Daily
Empire of Light Sam Mendes, 2023 Screening Daily
Aftersun Charlotte Wells, 2023 Screening Daily
The Whale Darren Aronofsky, 2023 Screening Daily
The Banshees of Inisherin Martin McDonagh, 2023 Screening Daily
SUN CINEMAS YARRAVILLE
Polite Society Nida Manzoor, 2023 Screening Daily
A Good Person Zach Braff, 2023 Screening Daily
Beau is Afraid Ari Aster, 2023 Screening Daily
EO Jerzy Skolimowski, 2022 Screening Daily
Of an Age Goran Stolevski, 2022 Screening Daily
Living Oliver Hermanus, 2022 Screening Daily
Empire of Light Sam Mendes, 2023 Screening Daily
Aftersun Charlotte Wells, 2023 Screening Daily
The Whale Darren Aronofsky, 2023 Screening Daily
The Banshees of Inisherin Martin McDonagh, 2023 Screening Daily
THORNBURY PICTURE HOUSE
The Giants Rachel Antony, Laurence Billiet, 2023 Screening Daily
Suzume
Makoto Shinkai, 2022
Screening Daily
A Good Person Zach Braff, 2023 Screening Daily
Raging Bull
Martin Scorsese, 1980
Screening Monday 1 May 8:15pm
Meet Me in the Bathroom Will Lovalace, Dylan Southern, 2023 Limited Screenings
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed Laura Poitras, 2022 Limited Screenings | |
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