Beauty and the Dogs (2017)
Beauty and the Dogs
”A woman fights for justice and dignity after being raped by police officers.”
Available at home
Subscription
Trailer
Why watch this film?
"Aala Kaf Ifrit" is an extremely relevant (and also hard to watch) movie about how power and authority can intimidate and threaten individual rights of citizens - specifically women. Through the story of a young woman who is raped by police officers, we see that the situation can get even worse when the aggressors are embraced by the system and not the victim, who suffers from start to finish, before, during and after the abuse. Director Kaouther Ben Hania ("The Man Who Sold His Skin") has crafted a story so unsettling with the film's editing that you can feel in the character's shoes and it's revolting. As with any production on this subject, however difficult it may be to watch, it is necessary as unfortunately this is an everyday occurrence in a woman's life. And there is no other way to portray it, any abuse being brutal and completely repulsive. The performance of the protagonist Mariam Al Ferjan is simply breathtaking, with just a look she can convey everything she is feeling, she doesn't even need to make a sound. "Aala Kaf Ifrit" is based on a true story, the saddest part of it is that we know it's not the only account of it and it won't be the last.
Filmelier
Our suggestions
Plot summary
At a party, Mariam meets Youssef’s gaze. A few hours later, she wanders the street in shock. A long night begins for her during which she will have to fight for the respect of her rights and her dignity. How can we obtain justice when it is on the side of the executioners?
To share
Do you want to watch something different?
Watch full movies now!
Press play and be surprised!
Where to watch?
Available at home
From the same director
I and the Stupid Boy
A powerful, contemporary, necessary short film. Directed and written by Kaouther Ben Hania (from the award-winning ‘The Man Who Sold His Skin’), the film uses only 14 minutes to talk about Nora, a young woman on her way to a date. However, along the way, she unexpectedly meets her ex, Kevin, who demands answers from the brilliantly portrayed Oulaya Amamra. At the end of these less than 15 minutes, it is hard not to think about important topics such as machismo, psychological terrorism practiced by men against women, and other abusive situations in relationships—whether they are current or already ended. An urgent short film.
The Man Who Sold His Skin
Kaouther Ben Hania is one of the most interesting Arab directors of today, after 'Beauty and the Dogs' (2017), she returns to navigate through controversial and extremely important topics. In 'The Man Who Sold His Skin' the filmmaker discusses nationality and xenophobia by telling the story of a young Syrian who leaves his country to go after his great love and to get a visa in Europe he agrees to be tattooed by a famous contemporary artist - who turns him into a work of art. From there, we enter a terrain where the boy stops being seen as a Syrian refugee and becomes a product. This reflection makes us think how far the limits of the human being go and if it is really worth leaving our identity for other opportunities in life. Kaouther Ben Hania works with a very controversial theme and that resonates in our minds for a while. The director is an incredible example - not only for being a female filmmaker, but for showing the strength of Arab stories.
Four Daughters
Four Daughters is an Oscar-nominated documentary film that deviates significantly from the format we're used to for this type of production. No monotonous "talking heads," for example. Here, filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania (The Man Who Sold His Skin) brings two actresses on screen to portray two of Olfa's four daughters, a Tunisian woman. The two are missing and cause a hole in this mother's life. Gradually, in this blend of documentary accounts and performances with these actresses, we follow a unique cinematic experience that traces an intimate journey of hope, rebellion, violence, and sisterhood, questioning the foundations of our societies and surprising with the delicacy with which it deals with such a complex and difficult topic.
Thriller
Out of Darkness
The stunning feature film debut of director Andrew Cumming is what happens when you take the horror and survival thriller to its most basic elements, in more ways than one. Out of Darkness is set in the Stone Age, 45 thousand years in the past, and follows a small group of people looking to build a new home in a desolate landscape. However, as darkness falls, they realize they are not alone, and that an evil lurking in the shadows seeks to consume them. The film's great achievement is to create an atmosphere that connects us to our most primal and natural fear: the fear of dying at any moment, due to human fragility in the face of the world's dangers. Darkness and uncertainty are the big monsters here, something few horror films manage to convey effectively.
Boy Kills World
In Boy Kills World, Bill Skarsgård (IT) plays another somewhat disturbed protagonist. Here, he swears revenge after his family is murdered by Hilda Van Der Koy (Famke Janssen), the disturbed matriarch who left the boy orphaned, deaf, and voiceless. With shades of John Wick, the young man seeks to become an instrument of death and promises to cause bloody chaos, ideal for those who enjoy a movie with few scruples and visually appealing aesthetics. It doesn't bring much new to the genre, but it's at least entertaining.
Motel Destino
Dayana lives an abusive marriage with former police officer Elias, owner of Motel Destino. When 21-year-old Heraldo finds himself at the motel after messing up a hit and going on the run, Dayana finds herself intrigued and lets him stay. As the two navigate a dance of power, desire and liberation, a dangerous plan for freedom emerges.
Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 is the unlikely sequel to the feature film that placed the characters of this playful and childlike universe into a world of violence and horror. However, don't expect a production as weak as the previous film: with the success of the first installment at the box office, the production had more money to invest, and thus Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 manages to be more realistic, violent, and impressive compared to the first film. The characters' masks are much scarier, and it ceases to be a complete joke. It's still difficult to take the film entirely seriously, especially with this bizarre premise of Pooh and his friends seeking bloody revenge, but you can already feel more fear and, above all, immerse yourself in the wave of violence that the film promotes. To have fun with friends.
