Harem

     Many ask the question: Do modern Arabic ‘Sheiks’ still have harems to this day? Of course they do. The word ‘harem’ doesn’t carry with it a sexual or disreputable connotation for the Arabs. A harem simply means the women in a family: mother, sisters, aunts, wives. Thus, the word ‘harem’ in the Middle East simply means the ‘better half’ of a household. The United Arabic Nations had only appeared about 30 years ago from a few collective Bedouin tent camps in the desert. Today it is a combination of the progress of modern civilization and the firmness of an ancient tradition, high technology and (in the eyes of many Europeans) an archaic view of women. It would seem to many that these women in black clothing are the only ones who are suffering in this splendor. You could live there for years and never have one conversation with a local woman: she will not hold down a conversation with you.

     It is considered that foreigners only bring trouble to themselves: they try to have too much contact with locals and ask a lot of inappropriate questions (it is not even customary with Arabs to find out how the wife is doing), and offer to shake hands. What is considered to be customary for Arabic women? Taking her photograph is even considered to be insulting. The author of this film has been able to take a ‘behind the scenes’ look at the Arabic world from the eyes of a local woman. They agreed to take part in the film only after getting consent from their husbands, fathers and brothers. During the film we will find out what they think about polygamy, what the calling is of an Eastern woman, and if the West and the East are able to get along with each other…