Contemplating ones identity and the origin of personal features. IMAGE: "Borderlands", short documentary by Sawsan Darwaza.

Short documentary "Borderlands" by Sawsan Darwaza receives Distinction Mention at Al-Jazeera Documentary Festival in Qatar in April

When Images of the Middle East Festival swept the lands of Denmark during August and September 2006, Arab filmmaker, Sawsan Darwaza and the well-reputed Danish cameraman Henrik Ibsen followed and filmed Arab artists during their participation in the festival in Copenhagen.

With inputs and financial support from a joint co-production scheme established by IMS and Danish Center for Cultural Development, the Arab-Danish team embarked on a quest to capture the makings of the identity of five Arab artists.

Last week, a short documentary titled "Borderlands", which was the result of the efforts, received the Distinction Mention of the Jurya at the Al-Jazeera Documentary Festival in Qatar.

Why the subject of identity?

In the settings of a summer-clad Copenhagen, "Borderlands" depicts the challenges facing Arabs visiting Denmark in the aftermath of the Cartoon crisis, and how the circumstances contribute to shaping the minds of the artists and confronts the artists with themselves and their sense of their own identity.

Among the many Arab artists participating in the festival, Sawsan Darwaza interviewed more than ten artists. Five of them were included in the final cut of the 30 minute short film, and they count Tunisian dance performer Iman Samawi, Turkish dancer Zia Azzazi, Sara Gebran, who is a Lebanese choreographer, Reem Bana, who is a Palestinian singer, Egyptian composer Fathi Salameh and finally Ayda Nadeem, an Iraqi performance artist.

Asked why she chose to deal with the topic of identity chosen, Sawsan Darwarza explains:

- It is an important question now at this time of history in our region. The Arab identity has become a myth and Arabs are on the defensive. "What is your identity", is the question I ask all the artists during the production of the film. The concept of changing and the dynamics of layered identity popped up in all the interviews and made me want to examine this intriguing concept and re-evaluate the Arab identity and its roots, and why it is in a process of change.

Coming from a mixed background herself, Sawsan Darwaza easily identifies with having a multi-layered identity. Originating in Nablus and growing up in Damascus, she spent her adolescent years in Beirut and now lives in Amman:

- For me it is a plus. I consider borders in this region to be very artificial - to me it is one area. Besides the multilayered identity is the history of many of my peers to, so it is a fate I share with many in my region. In the film I question the dualism of multiple identities, as it sometimes brings the artist into confrontation with him- or herself.

Co-production with Denmark

The film project came into being in a collaboration between IMS, the organizers of the Images of the Middle East Festival, Danish Centre for Cultural Development and Pioneers Production Company in Jordan. The two Danish organizations had formed a joint venture to promote collaboration between Danish and Arab media practitioners. Through this cooperation, Sawsan Darwaza was hooked up with Henrik Ipsen and, later in the process, Janus Metz Pedersen, who cooperated with Sawsan Darwaza editing the film.

According to Sawsan Darwaza, the cooperation with the Danes had a distinct impact on the film. In reality, Henrik Ipsen functioned as a line producer, contributing to the film as a professional and a native Dane who knows the ins and outs of Copenhagen. In cooperation with Janus Metz Pedersen, Sawsan Darwaza achieved her vision of producing an argumentative piece rather than an observational, documenting film.

- Janus added more drama into the film with his documentarist eye and his sense of drama in the dialogue, says Sawsan Darwaza and continues:

- Last but not least, the city of Copenhagen offered a nice and discrete ambience of democracy that added a distinct tone and taste to the film. A tone that you do not find in Europe or in America. Before I had a rigid preconception about one strong, rooted identity, but in this atmosphere I became more objective which made me question the artists in a more open way, and this allowed the artists to respond in a more contemplative way. Finally, shooting the film in Copenhagen in the aftermath of the Cartoon crisis lay the perfect foundation for a film that re-questions people themselves. I believe I have made a film which encourages to more research.

The film will be screened at festivals in the coming months. Part of the project includes broadcasting the film in Denmark and the Arab region. IMS is therefore on the lookout for broadcasters in Denmark as well as the Arab region who are willing to broadcast "Borderlands".