ETOILES DE JOUR (STARS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT) (Syria 1988) ***

ETOILES DE JOUR (STARS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT) (Syria 1988) ***
Directed by Ossama Mohammed

Review by Gilbert Seah

ETOILES DE JOUR (STARS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT) screens on Saturday, August 27 at 4 p.m. as part of TIFF Cinematheque’s Syria Self-Portraits: Chronicles of Tyranny, Chronicles of War, running from August 26 to September 4. Video introduction by Rasha Salti.

This is my first Syrian film and I am sure it will be the first for most others. Mohammed’s film has an artsy experimental grainy look, being shot in black and white. If commercial Hollywood blockbusters is your cup of tea, better avoid this film like the plague.

Some more background information about the film: Premiered in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs (Directors Fortnight) at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival, Ossama Mohammed’s first feature remains banned from screening in Syria due to its subversive critique of how the arbitrary and absolute power arrogated…