Caramel, Divorce Iranian Style and Persepolis

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Recommended: The portrayal of women in literature

In our Women and Politics in the Middle East class this semester we watched three films that brought to surface social issues faced by women in the Middle East. Caramel, Divorce Iranian Style and Persepolis are films that speak of issues of taboo that are critical for women in the Middle East. The themes that connect all three films are social issues, female identity, and politics that are aimed against women’s rights. In all three films the protagonists are women who struggle with the government and society to get their rights in their own countries. Even though one film is a documentary and one film is a comedy/drama and the last one is a cartoon, all three of the films are similar in their themes and struggles. All three films show critical issues that women face in the Middle East on a daily bases. Caramel is a comedy/drama film that takes place in Lebanon’s capital Beirut. The film talks about the unique issues faced by five Lebanese women who live in Beirut. Four of the women work in a beauty salon together. Layale, one of the women who work in the beauty salon is in a relationship with a married man. They meet in secrete in his car and when she speaks to him on the phone, she hides out in the bathroom. He is married to a women who loves him very much and refuses to leave his wife for Layale. His wife is very nice and has no idea that her husband is having an affair with the women who waxes her body. In the meantime a Lebanese police officer is in love with Layale. Layale lived on the hopes that one day her boyfriend will leave his wife for her until she gave up on him and started to see the police officer’s love for her. As a Middle Eastern man Nisrine’s boyfriend would never leave his wife for his mistress. Middle Eastern ... ... middle of paper ... ...n she continues to be herself. Marjane gets married, parties, and then gets divorced. All these things are critical steps for finding her identity. After failing to live without her freedom she returns to France. Marjane realizes that freedom comes with a price, being away from her family. Caramel, Divorce Iranian Style, and Persepolis are three critical films in analyzing struggles a woman has to face in the Middle East for Freedom. My personal favorite is Persepolis. Persepolis is about a strong, independent, and stubborn young woman who never gives up on the search for freedom. Marjane is an inspiration. She teaches the viewer the real struggles that women face in the Middle East. She does not make light of critical issue and she never gives up. For these reasons I find Persepolis to be my favorite film out to the three films we watched in class this semester.

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