简介：Amustsee,thisdocumentary(notbeconfusedwiththemuchlongerandcomprehensive2004biopic)bringsusSaïd'slastdays,priortohisuntimelydeathin2003. Inatwistoffate,aFrenchcrewarmedwithaBetamaxrecorderspenttimewithhimandhisfamilyattheendofhislife,offeringusanexceptionallyintimatelookathis(literally)finalviewsandreflectionsonthethemeswhichdominatedhislife'swork. BasedontheratingsandnumberofvotesIsawonthissiteforthe2004documentary,Ithinkmanyusersvotedforthatfilm,thoughmeaningtojudgeandactuallyhavingseenthisone,whichcontinuestohavemoreexposureintheAmericas,intheThirdWorld,andmostimportantlypoliticsaside(asmuchasthat'spossible).Bothfilmsdeservetheexcellentratingtheyboast.Yourratingreallydependsonyourinterestandattentionspan. However,thisfilm,atacaptivating54minutesandwithitsuniquetiminghasatouchofrealityandconcisenessthattheotheronelacks,bymeretimelinessandauthenticity.ThisfilmdirectedbyEmmanuelHamonhasalsoenjoyedthepersonalandforcefulpromotionbyhimhimself,thedirector,andbytheInstituteofArabCulture,throughoutBrazil,atleast,whereIhavenowaccompanieditsshowingat,twoorthreemorefestivalshereinlessthan9months. And,NOTjustatanotherArabFilmFestival,orausualsemiannualshowingofnationalperformingarts,butafullfledgeMediterraneanFestivalofdance,music,theater,literature,gastronomy,fashion,children'sactivities,etc.atover60citiesandtownsinSoutheasternBrazilalone. TheIsraeliFestival,coincidentally,alsowithexcellentfilms,inmuchricherifnotopulentvenues,withRubinMehtaandIsraelOrchestra's,justasaby-the-wayfactoid,justendeddaysago.ItwashowevermostlyfundedbyJewishandIsraeligroup,whilethisoneisfundedprimarilybytheBusinessandEducationalCouncil.Thetimingwasnotplannedtocompetewitheachother. Thevarious"Mediterranean"groupswereontourthroughouttheareajustnow.The"Jewishweek"isalwaysaroundthistime,andwa1splannedformonths. Yes,SaoPaulo(city)aloneisametropolisof20millionalone-thestatehas40million,withoneoftheheaviestandmaybethebestsucceededArab&Syriain-Lebaneseimmigrantcommunitiesanywhereintheworld.But,it'salmosttotallyChristian.Infact(thoughnottotallyopensaid),theArabcommunityhereismoreintunewithmainstreamIsraelipolitics,thantheOrthodoxJewswehavehere,sincetheyareArabs,butChristians,andveryOrthodoxatthat,inthebestknowncases. TheSyria,PalestineandLebanonleftbehind,andstillreveredhereasthe"oldland"nolongerexists,astheseArab-BrazilianscameheretoavoidTurkishOttoman(Muslim)persecution,whichultimatelyprevailed. But,notinsistingsomuchonlocalethnicitiesandreturningtothisfilm,Imistsaythatinfewifanyplacesintheworld,canafilmlikethisandothersintheFilmsSectionbeseenandjudgedasanArabfilm,andnotasMuslimculturevs.theJudeo-ChristianworldWork. Andthisistrulyafilmofuniversalunderstanding,withnationalandreligiousprejudicestakingabackseathere.Don'tmissit.…