Dubai Superheroes: Grannies Who Wear Veils
I quite like the series and actually bought a Um Khammas doll for my niece.
I was just surprised that the New York Times picked up on it ............................
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Ramadan is a holy month of praying and fasting, and for television executives it is also the Middle Eastern equivalent of sweeps month.
With ample time for family television viewing, pan-Arab channels save their best shows for Ramadan and schedule new episodes each evening. In recent years none of the offerings have captured the collective imagination in quite the same way as “Freej,” the region’s first 3-D animated series.
The show finds humor along the dominant fault line of this city: the tension between old and new. Set in Dubai, where camel races are conducted mere miles from the base of the world’s tallest building, the series focuses on four secluded and sometimes stubborn grandmothers.
Its creator, the 31-year-old Mohammed Saeed Harib, is now following a path well worn by the creators of “The Simpsons,” “South Park” and other influential cartoons. He is trying to expand “Freej” into a worldwide brand while maintaining its popularity here in Dubai, where viewers adore the four grandmothers who star in the 15-minute episodes. But the recession is not making it easy.
“Freej,” which swiftly became one of the most popular shows in the United Arab Emirates when it had its premiere here three years ago, is on a hiatus this Ramadan season, a result of the declining economy and, Mr. Harib says, his exhaustion after three grueling production cycles. In its place a new series of three-minute episodes starring the characters is being shown on local television.
Full article : http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/03/arts/television/03animated.html?_r=1&a...
And here's my review:
Four grandmothers who live in the old tradition gets a dose of modern society in the Arab world (and moreso Dubai as an example of "modern"): Umm Alawi, the yellow one, Umm Khammas, the green one, Umm Saeed, the red one, and Umm Saloom, the blue one.
Plenty of one-liner satire that hits the right notes on the reality of the modernism and its effects on the old Arab culture, from leaving the grandma to a nursing home, to maid-to-mother conflicts, to recession issues and the way people will cheat their way out, to hiring the wrong teachers for the prestigious Arab school, to as much as 'misunderstandings' in Arabic conversations (I have to give Umm Khammas a credit for that one as she always get that way). All pushed up in 15 minutes of one episode.
The only difficulty I had was all of these satires were really pushed in one 15-minute episode that you really have to catch up all the satire as much as possible or else you wouldn't get the enjoyable part of the whole series execution. But if you're fast enough to 'absorb' all of the one-liners you'll laugh out loud with this series.
This was made in production in Sparky Animation studios in Singapore. I have a friend who works in there. Might as well ask him if he did some works on this series run.
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Sadly, there is a PC brigade in all societies..
I loved it and paid through the nose to buy the DVDs from Dubai airport when they were first released with English subtitles.
I just don't get why everything eventually gets criticised by a small and vocal minority. Can't people just have a laugh?
Agree with you. It gives outsiders a glimpse into another culture and also shows that they are not the fuddy duddies they are made out to be..
Yeah its a good one ....Freej... :)
It's hilarious, but not only that but it makes Arab culture and Islam a lot easier to understand. I remember the first Ramadan episode when they were sitting around the coffee pot waiting for Iftar. I nearly wet myself.
We also need to get Al Jazeera on the main cable networks in the US not just as a supplementary purchase.
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A wise young crackpot knows no fear - Ian Dury.
Gypsy - agree if a middle aged westerner (me, not you!) can get into it almost anyone can.
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A wise young crackpot knows no fear - Ian Dury.
It is a hilarious series. Mohammed Saeed Harib was here during VCU Qatar's design conference, was it last year? or the year before? The girls and boys LOVED him and his designs/ideas.
Way to go!
~*Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret*~
I LOVE Freej. I hope they do take it international, it would do a lot to repair the Western/Muslim rift.
Same here, I love those ladies they are sooo funny!!!
So fubar are you adding support to the quote you supply or just pointing out something about Ramadan?
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A wise young crackpot knows no fear - Ian Dury.
I like the old lady in the red dress..
I love Freej! I own the entire 2 season series. Umm Khammas is my idol.
Mandi
Might be cute and popular with some, but not all:
"The makers of these shows incur the wrath of God for distracting Muslims' attention from the sublime value of the month of Ramadan, in order to make materialistic gains. Beware of falling into this trap."
http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=24227
This is a very cool series to watch and get an interesting take on the culture. I couldn't believe it when I flipped it on and it had english subtitles. What a trip.
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A wise young crackpot knows no fear - Ian Dury.