Raja Amari's "Satin Rouge"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Raja Amari's second film "Satin Rouge" is a real look into Tunisian society and a culturally-based demonstration of the duality of human nature, in which the main character Lilia, a domestic figure as expected by her community, desires to emotionally and sexually express herself through her dancing in the cabaret. The author points out that the use of clothing to illustrate the juxtaposition of two or more characters is very common in near east and far eastern films, such as "Shanghai Triad", in which the use of the contrasting colors are used to suggest the roles played by specific characters. The paper relates that not only is high key lighting used but also, in some instances, back-lighting is used to generate haloing behind the heads of the dancers and Lilia, creating an angelic affect when they perform, leading to a positive view of the dancers.

From the Paper:

"Within the opening scene of the film, while Lilia is cleaning and listening to music, she slowly begins to dance and undoes her tightly wound hair, allowing it to fall back onto her shoulders. During the course of the movie, Lilia often wears her hair up when she is in her home. The home is the center for domestic life and responsibilities of women in most societies, including that of the Middle East. When Lilia discovers the cabaret a little later on in the film and her friend Folla insists she dances with her in the show, Lilia's hair is again worn down and lies freely around her shoulders. This "freeing" of Lilia's hair implies a freeing of the character's emotional anxieties and grief (over her deceased husband and the pressures of raising her daughter) through her dancing in the cabaret."

More papers on Raja Amari's "Satin Rouge":

• Essay # 91041 : "Khmer Rouge"
• Term Paper # 93433 : "East Baton Rouge"
• Film Review # 57111 : "Moulin Rouge"

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