A look at certain events going on in July for Shubbak, the Arab festival of arts and entertainment Continue reading
Category Archives: Sexual Politics
Six Pillars Broadcast – Iranian Film Review with Rammy Elsaadany
“When you isolate women, you isolate the soul of the whole society.” Hissa Hilal, The Poetess, Screening at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival in London this month (see below). This week we celebrate International Women’s Day with a look at two forthcoming releases by women directors from Iran. Pictured left is Ava, screening at … Continue reading
Six Pillars Broadcast – Film Review with Rammy Elsaadany: ‘In Between’ from Palestine
Egyptian film maker Rammy Elsaadany joins us in the studio to review the film and soundtrack for ‘In Between’, an insightful take on the lives of modern Palestinian women by first time director Maysaloun Hamoud. Set in Tel Aviv, three different women navigate the trials of modern day urban living together. We’ll also listen to … Continue reading
Six Pillars Broadcast – Pop Art from North Africa
Fari Bradley talks to Najlaa El-Ageli in situ at the P21 Gallery, London about ‘Pop Art From North Africa’, in which 15 artists inspired by the Pop Art movement represent every nation in the region with paintings, digital images, animation, music and street art. The works tackle the social, political and cultural environments unique … Continue reading
Six Pillars Broadcast – Not Just My Hijab
Wed 28th June – Not Just My Hijab Four very different women recount their complex relationships with their own hijabs, not the static, monolithic contentious ‘thing’ it is usually perceived as, but rather something intensely personal. Guest produced by Kerning Cultures,, edited from the original for ResonanceFM by Fari Bradley. Broadcast Times Six Pillars broadcasts … Continue reading
Six Pillars Broadcast – Zoroastrians Iran to India
“Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions. It was founded by the Prophet Zoroaster in ancient Iran approximately 3500 years ago.” (BBC) This week a guest slot from Polite Conversations a serial podcast presented and produced by Eiynah Mohammed Smith in Canada. Mohammed Smith speaks here to a former priest of the Zoroastrian … Continue reading
Turkey’s Feminist MPs
With the 2015 elections in Turkey, the share of women within parliament has achieved the highest level in recorded history (at 18 per cent). More importantly, Turkey now has feminist MPs in parliament. PIcture here is Filiz Kerestecioglu’s photo, taken during her oath ceremony. She had a purple dress and is sporting the feminist badge. Previously a Twitter … Continue reading
The Rise of the Anti-Extremist Comic Book Hero
Suleiman Bakhit is CEO of a Jordanian comic production company called the Aranim Media Factory, after a combination of ‘Arab’ and ‘anime, which sold 1.2 million comics in 2010. He believes that comics can be as influential as the already revered and much narrated myth in the Persian Gulf region. Alladin, Sinbad the Sailor and … Continue reading
The Peace Cylinder Project + The Book of Esther
The Peace Cylinder Project uses a ceramic replica of the original Cyrus cylinder with the declaration engraved on the surface and a wooden roller covered by a polymer plate to hold the last chapter of the Book of Esther in Hebrew. These are used together in a ‘performance’ to create prints on clay and paper. … Continue reading
Vice in Iran (It’s Not What You Think)
Vice Magazine brings its trademark irreverent humour to Iran and digs briefly into the film industry. “Iranians love the school of their children and the cinema” they are told. To be fair presenter, Shane Smith’s pronunciation isn’t that bad. A Canadian who’s made films for Vice looking at for example, Mexican cinema, Smith has a … Continue reading