Wednesday 20 October 2010

JULIAN SCHNABEL's FILM MIRAL

I have escaped to Claridges, one more move and I will be in an asylum.  I feel I am going mad and crazy and forgot to pack my underwear and shoes, but of course managed to remember my scales.  I am tired I admit it and a bit ratty.  Claridges was welcoming and elegant. Do you know it is better value than the Mayfair Hotel, which I found too modern, you could have been anywhere in the world.  I hate lifts that you put your door key into to make it work.  In fact I know that they are going to be down market.  I like lifts that there is a man saying Good morning Mrs Eliasch or Good morning Madam.
Anyway I went to the premiere of Miral, Julian Schnabel's film about Palestine.  A little controversial, I suppose. I think it gave an honest feel to what it would be like to be  a Palestinian.  I was again moved to tears.  I feel I cry through most films these days.  Beautifully acted. Julian gave a wonderful speech at the beginning of the film saying how much it had changed his life.  He introduced the two Mirals, the fake Miral was acted by the very brilliant and beautiful actress Freida Pinto, who was in of course the Oscar winning film, Slumdog Millionaire.  They could have gone further but I have a feeling that the film would be to unsaleable if he had.  People hate truths, they like fairy tales.
I have always been interested in Palestine.  My father used to describe the camps to me, and it sounded horrific, he would end the description always the same way, "They were terrible in 1957 so heaven knows what they are like now" my imagination was always on overdrive.  Julian fills the gaps with his emotional tale.  He is a brilliant director, truly and utterly thoughtful and chooses subjects that others will not address.

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