Satin Rouge (2002)

Satin Rouge was the first of two movies directed by Tunisian women that I saw for a three-part series (I'm sad to say I missed the last of the three, Silences of the Palace). It was a very enjoyable experience overall -- these were the first Tunisian films that I had seen and I gained a sense of the style and influences that affected these filmmakers. Satin Rouge, like many other gender-conscious films, deals with the female identity and the common clash of cultural acceptability versus sexuality. Lillia (Hiam Abbass) is a single middle-aged mother who finds release from her daily life through visits to a cabaret club. Although she initially visits the club to search for her daughter Salma (Hend el Fahem), over whom she constantly worries, she soon finds herself drawn in by the charm and gracefulness of the cabaret dancers. A conservative mother soon transforms into an adventurous and sexually attractive lady (in a way, this development parallels the oft-used nerdy girl into princess). The movie does, to some extent, depict these women as sexual objects. Their audience is entirely male, and at times the camera follows their gyrating hips and movements as if it were a lustful male viewer. Still, Satin Rouge does present the dancers as good-hearted people with some degree of dignity who refer to themselves as artists, though others see them differently. This latter fact is what Lillia must come to terms with, as she must always face the scrutinizing gaze of friends and family while she continues in her nightly activity. I would say that the greatest stylistic influence is probably French cinema, which is not surprising considering Tunisia was a former French colony. However, the movie also has a great deal of Kieslowski in how it looks. The camera tends to be subtle except when following the dances and reveals character development through simple, routine actions. Dialogue is sparse, although that fits well with the mood of the movie. Actions (and music) do speak much louder than words here. The acting performances are good, especially Abbass as the lead. The only problem is that the movie starts out strong, but soon falls into a rather ludicrous plot line that, no matter how hard I try to avoid thinking about, spoils the overall likeability of the movie. Satin Rouge is most certainly worth watching and I think would probably make a very good introduction to Tunisian film (although I would not be the best judge). It's accessible and deals with universal women's issues. Rating: 7/10