{"id":30793,"date":"2024-04-19T23:06:07","date_gmt":"2024-04-19T23:06:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/19\/forbidden-to-watch-films-as-a-child-he-now-directs-somalias-top-shows\/"},"modified":"2024-04-19T23:06:07","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T23:06:07","slug":"forbidden-to-watch-films-as-a-child-he-now-directs-somalias-top-shows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/19\/forbidden-to-watch-films-as-a-child-he-now-directs-somalias-top-shows\/","title":{"rendered":"Forbidden to Watch Films as a Child, He Now Directs Somalia\u2019s Top Shows"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align:center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2024\/04\/09\/multimedia\/00somalia-filmmaker-profile-1-mvph\/00somalia-filmmaker-profile-1-mvph-facebookJumbo.jpg?resize=1050,550&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Forbidden to Watch Films as a Child, He Now Directs Somalia\u2019s Top Shows\" title=\"Forbidden to Watch Films as a Child, He Now Directs Somalia\u2019s Top Shows\" \/><\/div><p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">At the shout of \u201caction,\u201d two actors, costumed in black blazers and sunglasses, erupted into a spirited shouting match, gesticulating wildly as one demanded that the other convince his daughter to marry him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">A cameraman and a boom operator, sweaty under a scorching sun, moved in to capture the altercation in close-up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Then the director, Abshir Rageh, seated in a foldable chair, removed his headphones and called: \u201cCut.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">From the props scattered about, to the crew members running around with scripts in hand, to the sophisticated recording equipment, this looked like any film set in Hollywood or <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/12\/25\/world\/asia\/kaathal-film-mammootty-india.html\" title=\"\">Bollywood<\/a> or <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2016\/02\/11\/insider\/how-the-times-named-nollywood.html\" title=\"\">Nollywood<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">But the sandy alleys near the shoot \u2014 and the band of security officers slinging genuine AK-47s \u2014 were signs that this was somewhere else. In case there was any doubt, the sound of real bullets being fired and ringing out in the distance before the scene was filmed made clear this was anything but your typical location.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Rageh works in one of the world\u2019s most unexpected cities for an emerging auteur looking to forge his cinematic reputation: the seaside capital of Somalia, Mogadishu.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Here, in a city and a nation <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/02\/27\/world\/africa\/somalia-ethiopia-al-shabab-conflict.html\" title=\"\">inching wearily toward stability<\/a> after decades of factional fighting and <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/01\/06\/world\/africa\/Somalia-mogadishu-bombing-students.html\" title=\"\">terrorism<\/a>, Mr. Rageh stands out as one of Somalia\u2019s most prolific and astute filmmakers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">At 33, he is the head of film production at the privately owned Astaan, one of Somalia\u2019s largest cable television networks. Over the last few years, Mr. Rageh has created, produced and directed some of the biggest television hits in this Horn of Africa nation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">They include the <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ldXWbf4iF_M&amp;list=PLBHLTCW5tBleMmh3rYFS2vI3p9R2_Q813&amp;index=1\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">two-season<\/a> series \u201c<a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=s3BGCQ-nVno&amp;list=PLBHLTCW5tBlc1A_BUuoFsqPSZPkH8-r8I\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Habboon<\/a>,\u201d a soapy show about a lovelorn couple navigating conservative and traditional societal norms, which garnered tens of millions of YouTube views. His latest series, \u201cDhaxal,\u201d a drama about the intricacies of inheritance in Somalia, <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=dGMgto32MCM\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">began airing<\/a> this month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Rageh is also overseeing several other productions, including a comedy show, a cooking competition and a game show.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">What motivates his work, Mr. Rageh said, is a desire to make TV shows that confront what he calls a stereotypical narrative about Somalis that centers on piracy, terrorism and hunger.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cI focus on storytelling that can change lives,\u201d Mr. Rageh said in a recent interview. \u201cWe have to own our own story and show that we are more than that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The prominence and popularity of Mr. Rageh\u2019s shows depends in part on their use of simple plots and relatable characters. But they have also garnered attention at home and abroad for frankly tackling contentious issues like tribalism, the role of women in society and what it means to be an upstanding Somali citizen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cThe civil war in Somalia destroyed the creative avenues that allowed us to think through the challenges facing our society,\u201d said Bashiir Mohamuud Badane, an actor, educator and artist who has worked with Astaan to create children\u2019s shows and <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NbdNvKjoLm8\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">educational music videos<\/a>. \u201cThese productions are a lifeline.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Chatty and always sporting a cap, Mr. Rageh is from a generation born and raised after the Somali state collapsed more than three decades ago. Since then, young people \u2014 about half of Somalia\u2019s population of 18 million is <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unfpa.org\/data\/world-population\/SO\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">under 14<\/a> \u2014 have stepped in to revive industries and <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/02\/16\/world\/africa\/somalia-.html\" title=\"\">deliver government services<\/a> in the face of <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/06\/11\/world\/africa\/somalia-drought-hunger.html\" title=\"\">relentless crises<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">For filmmakers like Mr. Rageh, the increasing affordability of equipment and the access to social media platforms for both education and distribution have been empowering.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">None of the dozens of women and men who work on his crew has ever been to film school, Mr. Rageh said, but the crew members have improved their production skills by watching YouTube tutorials and taking classes online.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Rageh encourages them to be multi-hyphenates \u2014 cinematographers who double as sound engineers, makeup artists who act. He is also very hands-on himself.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">On a recent evening, he arrived at the Astaan studios in Mogadishu to supervise the shooting of \u201c<a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NrzYmb6_uFY\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Kala Dooro<\/a>,\u201d or \u201cChoose Between,\u201d a series dealing with a young graduate navigating the traditional expectations of marriage with her desire to further her education and career.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">After watching a couple of takes of a tense scene between an adult son and his sick mother, who wanted him to worry less about her health and more about his future, Mr. Rageh intervened.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cYou have to believe your own acting if our viewers will believe it too,\u201d he told them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">He then had the actors repeat the scene four times until they got the intonations just right.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Almost all the performers he hires have no prior acting experience. \u201cMy one condition to them is that they have to be willing to learn and improve,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Rageh was born in 1991 in Beledweyne, a town about 185 miles northwest of Mogadishu. His parents were market traders who struggled to provide for their 11 children.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The family fled their home multiple times as fighting engulfed their agricultural region, but they always returned. Mr. Rageh fondly remembers the town, largely because it\u2019s where his love for storytelling began.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">On some afternoons, he would sneak out with friends to a makeshift neighborhood cinema, where bootleg copies of Indian films and Sylvester Stallone\u2019s \u201cRambo\u201d movies were screened.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cMy parents never wanted us to go to this cinema,\u201d Mr. Rageh said. \u201cMovies were seen as sinful and immoral.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">After high school, Mr. Rageh studied public administration at Somalia University in Mogadishu.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">While still in university, he found a job shooting and editing videos, and later began making short films and public service announcements. In 2017, he joined the media team of then-President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. But filmmaking tugged at his heart, and in 2019, he joined Astaan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Rageh\u2019s entry into film direction and production dovetailed with a crucial time in Somalia\u2019s history.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Before the civil war began in 1991, Somalia supported a thriving theater and <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/qz.com\/africa\/1142624\/grammy-nominations-2018-ostinato-records-sweet-as-broken-dates-is-nominated-for-a-grammy\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">music<\/a> industry, along with a smaller film sector with directors like <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/mubi.com\/en\/cast\/abdulkadir-ahmed-said\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Abdulkadir Ahmed Said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">But with no major productions during the war or for many years after, Somalis watched translated Arab, Mexican and Turkish shows. As the country has stabilized in recent years and Somali-born filmmakers in the diaspora have <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=p7913tCjjms\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">made<\/a> more <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=9GwK0Zlc8ys\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">films<\/a>, many Somalis at home were eager to see themselves onscreen, too.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Still, making movies in Somalia remains challenging.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Security is <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/03\/15\/world\/africa\/shabab-militants-somalia-syl-hotel.html\" title=\"\">a major concern<\/a>, hindering Mr. Rageh\u2019s team from freely filming scenes in the capital or its outskirts. The loud din of Mogadishu\u2019s three-wheeled rickshaws often impedes shooting outdoors. Mr. Rageh also said it was initially hard to get anyone to audition \u2014 for fear performing in a film would smear their or their family\u2019s reputation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cPeople see villains and believe they are villains in real life, too,\u201d said Adan Farah Affei, an actor, cartoonist and <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZbGpUPwmg9g\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">painter<\/a> who had leading roles in two of Mr. Rageh\u2019s shows. When his onscreen wife scorned him during the \u201cHabboon\u201d series, he said some members of his clan called to say they were ready to defend him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cI told them this was fictional,\u201d Mr. Affei said, laughing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">As they become bolder in the themes they explore, Somalia\u2019s nascent filmmakers remain wary about contravening the country\u2019s conservative norms. Even a hug or a handshake between different genders can lead to widespread criticism.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cReligious leaders think the shows are introducing immorality into society,\u201d said Mr. Badane, who recently acted in \u201c<a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PFsfMMxMm1U\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Arday<\/a>,\u201d a series documenting the lives of Somali high school students.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Another challenge facing Mr. Rageh is financing. For now, Astaan\u2019s owners pay for his projects. However, he said he hopes to one day see more independent investors or even global media firms supporting the budding industry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">For now, he\u2019s counting his blessings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">For one, more Somalis want to get involved, with some 2,000 people showing up to audition for 100 positions in \u201cDhaxal.\u201d Advertisers are also increasingly eager to see their brands placed onscreen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Somali actors also are gaining some global notice outside the country: Mr. Affei was cast in an <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt14778372\/\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">upcoming film<\/a> directed by the Somali-Canadian singer, K\u2019naan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">But for Mr. Rageh, his biggest achievement so far is personal. His mother, who once prohibited him from watching films, now regularly watches his shows and receives compliments from neighbors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cShe is very proud,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/04\/19\/world\/africa\/somalia-director-abshir-rageh.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At the shout of \u201caction,\u201d two actors, costumed in black blazers and sunglasses, erupted into a spirited shouting match, gesticulating wildly as one demanded that the other convince his daughter to marry him. A cameraman and a boom operator, sweaty under a scorching sun, moved in to capture the altercation in close-up. Then the director, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30794,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2024\/04\/09\/multimedia\/00somalia-filmmaker-profile-1-mvph\/00somalia-filmmaker-profile-1-mvph-facebookJumbo.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[11673,9092,4728,31413,1116,34836,1846,1579],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30793"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30793"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30793\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30795,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30793\/revisions\/30795"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}