#NewsBytesRecommends: 'Farha' on Netflix—fiery saga of fortitude and ambition
What's the story
Darin J Sallam's labor of love, Farha premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2021 and is currently streaming on Netflix. The heartrending drama is plaintive yet valiant—it is based on a true story and chronicles the life of the eponymous heroine who displays fiery fortitude to acquire her basic right to education in a world infested with patriarchy. Here's what makes Farha consequential.
Plot
Film chronicles events of 'Palestinian Catastrophe'
The coming-of-age historical drama amplifies the voice of the Palestinian citizens who were allegedly massacred at the hands of the Israelis in 1948. Called the Nakba in Arabic, it translates to the Palestinian Catastrophe. The cynosure of the film is a teenager, Farha, who aspires to break through the shackles she has been brought up with and climb up the ladder through quality education.
Aspirations
Farha's aspirations capture our attention from get-go
Farha makes her aspirations evident from the first frame—she sits under a tree reading a novel clandestinely while girls her age play under a waterfall. We learn early on she's cut out for unconventional things, clearly, the ones that are out of bounds for a certain species—women. The year is 1948, and while we go back in time, the undertones of discrimination still remain.
Class divide
Pertinent class divide doesn't wall two friends
As the film progresses, we are drawn deeper into Farha's world and meet her friend Fareeda, a representative of the upper echelon of society. Not only does she travel by car, but she speaks, looks, and dresses differently. Her picture-perfect life is everything Farha aims for since she sees how education can stop her life from derailing and eventually crashing under a humdrum existence.
Violence
Unnerving violent scenes recreate plight of Palestinians
Farha's second half can be an admittedly tough watch, as the claustrophobia in the scenes seems to seep through the screen and reach the viewer. The visceral violence also makes you stick to the stomach—there is scene after scene of nauseating violence that demonstrates how humanity met its expiry date when these incidents actually transpired. It's a disconcerting watch but an important, microcosmic one.
Imagery
Film's imagery speaks loud in dialogue-less scenes
Farha's strong symbolism lies in its imagery and metaphors. When she's locked inside a room with not a drop of water or an iota of respite, Farha carves the Sun on a potato—a symbol of light and optimism. There are also scathing contrasts between the first frame and the last—Farha's fairytale dream is cut short, and she wakes up to a human-made, monstrous reality.
Symbolism
Farha: A peculiar woman in a man's world
Farha is THE woman in a man's world, but she is far from a damsel in distress. At a time when child brides didn't raise eyebrows, Farha spends her days with books; her ambition is heartening and almost empathy-inducing. The lack of on-the-nose storytelling aids the narrative, and her lack of culinary skills further accentuates her drive for individuality and her rebellious, gutsy attitude.
Conclusion
You can watch 'Farha' on Netflix
Farha delivers a potent tale of fortitude; this becomes especially paramount since almost every frame is painted with a sense of foreboding. When Farha struggles in a dingy room, it's the imagery that heightens tension, even as she struggles to string words together. Farha's story also crushes you when it ends somewhat depressingly, but then, unfortunately, not all stories get their happily ever after.