I did a second activity related to International Women’s day about a week later. We had an outdoor movie night at the Dar Chebab where we projected the film on to the Dar Chebab for the community. The movie I chose is called “Number One.” It is a Moroccan, feature length film in Darija. The theme of the movie is the Mudawana (the family code.) It addresses women’s rights in a humorous and enjoyable way, appropriate for the whole family.
In the film there is a hard, cynical man, who disrespects the women who work in his sweatshop, his wife and the people around him. His wife, exhausted by his behavior casts a spell on her husband. He becomes unable to speak disrespectfully to women even if he wants to. He tells his wife to cut her hair, wear what she wants, gets her a bank card, and he even starts helping out in the home (which really got a laugh out of the community.) At a certain point no one knows quite how he or she is supposed to behave which causes all sorts of confusion. Eventually the husband and wife reach a balance in how to sustain their relationship in a respectful way.
I was very pleased because there was a descent turn out. There were not only boys and girls but also men and women present at the film. One of my boys from the Dar Chebab said that this was the first time he had seen women outside, late in the evening, participating in a community event.
There was a discussion that followed the film, lead by my host father. I honestly can’t say I understood a whole lot of it but it seemed good and lots of children were participating.
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