Miral: on the wings of a dove

Just like the soaring wings of a dove, the premiere showing of the movie Miral, opens in Chicago on April 15, 2011.

Dream of peace and harmony

Film - based on Rula Jebreals' autobiographical novel – tells account of Palestinian woman's bitter sweet memories.

By Leila Diab

This invincible true to life Palestinian story, now made into a movie, is based on Rula Jebreals' autobiographical novel Miral. Adequately portrayed, the story of Miral is the account of a young girl's bitter sweet memories that have been etched in her mind from time immemorial. The story of Miral, written by a Palestinian woman author and journalist, Rula Jebreal, and directed by the acclaimed, yet courageous, humanitarian American Jewish film director Julian Schnabel, has taken on a global flight with a perceptive mission.

With an insightful mission of working together, they have concomitantly, spread the uncensored truth, devoid of fear from extremists, with the purpose to launch the other side, the Palestinian side of the story, albeit, an epic expression of fate and destiny. Whether you agree or disagree with the film's premise of the foreboding social realities and struggles of life, as we begin to focus on Miral's life as a Palestinian orphan, as well as all orphans, the lives of Palestinian children should bear the fruits of endearment for the future. One thing is for certain, the story of Miral has become an optimistic trail blazer to rewrite the wrong of injustice and the human suffering of the Palestinian people, as well as their neighbours.

With an ideal cast of actors, all known for their defining artist talents, such as Freida Pinto (from Slum Dog Millionaire, Vanessa Redgrave, William Dafoe, Hiam Abbass, Yasmine Al Massri, Ruba Blal, Alexander Siddig, Omar Metwally and Stella Schnabel (the daughter of the Director,Julian Schnabel ), the story of Miral begins to blossom, very convincingly, because of with these high profile character performances.

Miral, which literally means in Arabic, a little flower that grows along the side of the road in Palestine, is being presented to its audience as an avant-garde in cinema history, at a time when a new generation of Middle Eastern youth, as well as people of all ages, are staging massive non-violent protests for democracy, freedom and dignity. And now, along comes, Miral as the voice of the Palestinian story. The world media's news reports, whether filtered or unfiltered scenes of Middle Eastern historical events or chaos, echoed their concerns for equality and justice. Albeit, the story of MIRAL is, the other side of a rarely untold Palestinian story of an unjust conflict and the harrowing lives of four woman's different paths to persevere, as well as to preserve their identity and self existence.

The true authentic beauty of the film Miral even though at times very disconcerting, was actually filmed on location in Occupied Palestine and in Israel. While the viewer is exposed to brief glimpses of the interwoven lives of four Palestinian woman, the character of Miral sheds light on her youthful fate and destiny in the worst of times and in the best of times, with the nurturing love of her father and surrogate mother, Hind Al-Husseini, and the founder of Dar El -Tifl (house of the children-) a Palestinian children orphanage that was first open in 1948 after the Deir Yasin massacre of Palestinians.

Whoever sees this movie can't help but walk away and realize that every child needs a sense of belonging and love. And yet, all human beings dream of peace and harmony, devoid of negative divisions, with the hope of a prosperous future, security, education and basic human rights. It is the mainstream media's responsibility, especially journalists, not to censor the truth. The book as well as the movie, Miral, exemplifies human qualities, relationships between Palestinians and Israelis, life tragedies , love and hate, joy and sorrow, and truth versus fear. And yes, the role of women, irrespective of their status in society.

While witnessing the news coverage of Middle Eastern protests, that have been occurring almost on a daily basis, from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, Yemen and Bahrain, I ponder the thought and asked myself the question, why hasn't the media, especially the Western media, zoomed their lens and/or pointed their pens to show and tell the stories of Palestinians and Israelis protesting together to save the children, the land, and bring peace, to a land of peace? The movie, Miral, most assuredly, should be one of the media's comparative starting points.

As a Palestinian, after I read Rula Jebreal's book Miral, as well as after watching the movie at least three times, many fond and memorable flashbacks of my time in Palestine and in Israel rushed through my mind of all the people, places and areas of conflict that I had encountered in that region. And I am sure that there will be other people as well, who after watching this movie, will recall similar life stories and connections.

However, one of the lines of spoken dialogue by one of the characters in a scene at Dar El-Tifl, in Jerusalem that touched me the most about Miral's life story was the wholesome quality of character nurturing wisdom and love portrayed by Hind el-Husseini.

“What concerns me the most about your life is not your involvement in the intifadah, it is the value of your education and future security that is my purpose for you.” And that's what Hind El-Husseini's and Dar El Tifl's objectives have always been, and continues to be.

The movie Miral, brought back another very special memory for me. It was the last time that I was to see Sit Hind in 1994. Once I arrived at Dar El Tifl, I went straight to her room with a big bouquet of flowers. She was very weak and yet she smiled at me and I hugged her. She then held my arm tight and whispered in my ear, “Habibti, habibti, never, never forget the children.”

Rula Jebreals's riveting, yet very timely story of her life, beckons us all to “never forget the children.”

Rula Jabreal and Julian Schnabel, one a Palestinian, one a Jewish American, both dispel any myths of trust or sincerity of the human spirit. And if one believes in fate and destiny, as I surely do, one of their missions in life has been accomplished. I personally, salute the Weinstein Production Co. and Julian Schnabel for there honorable ethnics, judgment and moral character, in their decision to distribute and film the Palestinian side of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, through the eyes of a Palestinian woman's real life story, Rula Jebreal.

As controversial or as cynical as some film critics and/or Jewish organizations have been about the release of this film, one can only wonder what is there to fear? It is the seeds of peace, is it the love relationship between a Palestinian man and an Israeli woman, or is it former President Itzhak Rabin's final statement during a peace rally in Israel, after the signing of the Oslo Peace Treaty in Washington D.C. that ultimately, yet sadly, killed him and his dream? And yes, this true to life story of a Palestinian girl named Miral, reflects the compassionate work of Rula and Julian that should be seen as the ongoing vision of Rabin's dream to keep peace alive and Hind El-Husseini's dream to save the children...on the wings of a dove.

I can only hope that those who are hawks and not doves, can cherish and maybe even cultivate the mindset of the following quote which I believe is the essence of this film, and of hope, albeit, the reality of life, without ever dismissing its dormancy.

“There is not a truth existing which I fear or would wish unknown to the whole world.” (Thomas Jefferson). And that is the story of a Palestinian woman, Rula Jebreal, all the Mirals, and all the symbols of a flower or a tree, along the long and winding roads or hill tops in Palestine, and for that matter, even in Israel....all in search of a blooming peace and world humanity.

Leila Diab is a freelance journalist and educator.