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This book provides an in-depth and intimate study of the cinema of Muhammad Malas. One of the well-known auteurs of Arab and Syrian cinema, Malas's distinctive cinematic project has always confronted the social and political issues of his time. From feature films Dreams of the City , The Night , Bab al Maqam (Passion) , and Ladder to Damascus to documentaries such as The Dream and Aleppo: Maqamat of Pleasure , Malas's films challenge and explore Arab culture and history. Archival images run through the chapters of this book which combines insightful interviews with excerpts from Malas's literary works and critical explorations of his cinematic style and thematic concerns. The book concludes with Malas's own words, sharing the treatment of his film project Cinema al-Dunya .
List of contents
1. The Cinema of Memory 2. From Quneitra to Moscow and Back 3. Early Years and Memories 4. Collaborations and Documentary 5. Poignancy and Memoir in Documentary
6. Excerpts from The Dream: A Diary of a Film
7. Behind the Scenes and Films in the Making
8. Reflections on Memory, Intertextuality, and Banned Films
9. Bab al-Maqam : From Beginnings to Caricatures of Banality
10. On Patriarchy and Resistance in Ladder to Damascus
11. Filmmaking in the New Millenium
12. On Cinema al-Dunya by Muhammad Malas
