Islamic Feminism and Its Role in Cinema

Main Project: ISLAMIC FEMINISM AND ITS ROLE IN CINEMA
PhD Project: THE PORTRAYAL OF THE HISTORICAL MUSLIM FEMALE ON SCREEN

Film Documentation

This edit is a rough cut work in progress.  As of yet there is no sound and the tableaux are a approximate guide to what may be written for the final piece.


ACT1.2 The Will of Sultan Iltutmish

In this scene, Sultan Iltutmish requests that his daughter Razia to be successor of the Delhi Sutanate.  Circa 28th April 1236CE/634 Hejira.

Act 1 Scene 1-3 are an attempt to subvert gendered stereotypes that may destabilise audience preconceptions of the soldier's gender.  For when the soldier removes their helmet the audience acknowledges the female protagonist Razia.






ACT1.8 The Lion Gates
Razia and the people demand an audience with the Sultan but are denied

This scene uses Mernissi's reference toward Sultan Iltutmish's installation of two lions at the Palace gates in order to hasten the administration of justice and allow the oppressed to ask for help:

"So he set up two marble statues of lions on two towers at the gate of his palace, and round their necks were two iron chains with a huge bell. The oppressed person would shake the bell in the night and the sultan on hearing the sound would instantly look into his case and administer justice." 
(Quotation from Rehla of Ibn Battuta as cited by Mernissi in The Forgotten Queens of Islam, 1993: 95)

The above images are test pieces to create a night time scene

ACT1.5 The Reign of Sultan Ruknuddin 
Ruknuddin's lazy reign as Sultan causes grievance amongst the Amirs

ACT1.4 A Nation Cannot Prosper
Still frame of Razia being declined the Sultancy in favour of her wicked brother Ruknuddin

ACT1.3 A Plot
Shah Turkan calls on the Prime Minister to stop Razia becoming Sultan


ACT1.2 The Will of Iltutmish 
Still frame of Razia meeting with her father

ACT1.1 A Soldier on Horseback 
Razia arrives at the Palace
Deciding whether the frame should use a depth of field (out of focus background) or use deep focus where the background remains in focus

Medium quality video 


ACT1.1 Soldier on Horseback
Still image of Razia riding through the forest


Razia riding on the horse

Click on the links below to see PDF documents capturing the development of this project:

Work in Progress
Sultan Razia

Work in Progress
Sultan Razia

Work in Progress
Sultan Razia

Work in Progress
Sultan Razia

Work in Progress
Sultan Razia