The Cruel Sea (Bas-Ya-Bahar)
Khalid Al Siddiq, 1972
This, I think, is the first feature film ever made in Kuwait by a Kuwaiti director. Shot in black and white, it evokes the pre-oil days when Kuwait relied almost entirely on the sea, either for trade or for pearl-fishing. Men would go to sea for months, leaving the women, children and elderly to fend for themselves. The sea is the main character here – initially the source of all things beautiful but equally a monster that destroys lives. The film is a Greek tragedy of sorts, and despite its formal simplicity, it is technically ambitious and very beautiful. I also admire the spare acting style.
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