THE CANARY
Iran, 2004, 88 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Javad Ardakani Movaqati.
The Canary was filmed in Lebanon standing in for Palestine. The film is a strong plea for understanding and tolerance of the situation of the Palestinians, the brutality of their treatment by the Israelis.
In a town in the occupied West Bank area, a family try to live out their ordinary life. The father is in the Resistance and is taken away by the police. His house is bombed. The focus of the film, however, is on the younger son, a small boy who stammers. He is friendly with the local priest who gives him his canary as a gift, for him to look after, for him to learn some kind of responsibility in caring for the bird. The boy loves the bird and takes it everywhere, causing clashes in the household with the noisy television disturbing the canary and preventing it from singing, putting it in the clothes cupboard of his older brother, eventually having the bird in its own bird house, built by the priest. There is also a clash with two boys from the Catholic school who eventually take the canary but give it back and build the new bird house after the exploding of the home. The older brother is training to be one of the stone throwers against the Israelis. The grandparents also live with the mother and her boys.
The film shows the confined life of the Palestinians, in their area, at home, not allowed out. It also shows the continued noise of shootings, planes going overhead, the continual disruptions to ordinary life which is portrayed in the workplace and at school.
The film is a sympathetic presentation of relationships between Muslims and Catholics. The Israelis are seen as the enemy and a great deal of footage of uprisings and their being put down are screened on the television.
The film is a plea for the plight of the Palestinians, symbolised by the young boy, his care for the canary which could symbolise the land which was under threat and needs final freedom. The film also shows quite clearly how innocent young minds, living in this situation, under attack, can grow into stone throwers and Resistance members, even to suicide bombers.
1. The impact of the film? About Palestine, about the Israelis? The portrait of a family, the portrait of a boy and his canary?
2. Lebanon standing in for Palestine? The town, the streets and the houses, the beach, the bamboo reeds? An atmosphere of Palestine?
3. The Intifada situation, the Israelis and the tanks, the soldiers, the shootings, the bombings? The exploding of the houses of Resistance members? The statistics given in the number of children dead? The footage showing on the television?
4. The family, the father and his resistance, his being taken, the house exploded, the mother and brother taken? The brother and his sling, the stone-throwing against the Israelis? Fares and the sling being his father's memorial, his taking it, training with it, the potential to be a Resistance fighter when he grows up?
5. Fares, his stammer, his friendship with Father Simon, in the church, given the canary? His care of the canary, taking it with him everywhere? In the house, trying to keep the silence, throwing the stone at the television? Clearing out the cupboard? His getting the house, Father Simon's care, his mother's complaints? The bamboo house, taking the canary to the beach, getting the bamboo, the boys chasing him, taking the canary, his tracking it down, their returning it, his hostility towards them, Father Simon getting them to build the new bird room, the reconciliation? His love for the canary, tender care for it, wondering whether it had died, Father Simon and his help? Taking the canary with him, running through the soldiers' cordon, saving it? The details of his daily life, at home, with the family, at school? His finally being shot, taking the bird, letting it go free? With his father's memorial, the statue of Mary strafed in the church, his father's photo?
6. Father Simon, his friendship, the boys, the choir, the life in the church, his friendship with the Muslim families, the gift of the canary? The mother going to complain and his helping? The new house, making the boys build the second room? The church being attacked, the statues being strafed, his being injured?
7. The Resistance, the father, his disappearance, coming back to the church, Father Simon helping the boy see his father? Khaled, his daughter, the safe house - and then it being exploded?
8. The people in the town, the boys, the choir, Khaled and his family, the schoolteachers and the way of life at the school?
9. The Palestinians, their being oppressed, an oppressed mentality, on the defensive, on the attack? Fares and his not knowing the realities of the Palestinian situation, the Resistance? His house under threat, his father disappearing, his bird and his defence of it? His taking the sling, practising how to throw the stones, the making of a Resistance fighter?
10. The film showing a very serious situation through focusing on a child?
