By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Namir Abdel Messeeh
Original language title: La Vierge, les Coptes et Moi
Country: egypt, france, qatar
Year: 2011
Running time: 85
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2229253/
Bruce says: “What begins as a filmmaker’s conceit turns out to be a wonderful sociological essay on rural life in northern Egypt. Namir Abdel Messeeh was born in Egypt and his parents left him behind when they emigrated to France. He has sporadically kept in touch with relatives in his homeland but he, too, has lived in France most of his life. His mother did come back for him once she was settled. She, unlike most of her family, is educated and successfully employed as head accountant at the Qatar embassy in Paris. She is also ashamed of her past.
“The Coptic Orthodox Church accounts for about 9% of Egypt’s population with 90% being Muslim. For years, Messeeh has wanted to make a documentary film about the Copt community in Egypt and, in particular, the spotting of the Virgin Mary in several locations, the most famous visitation being in Cairo in 1968 where The Virgin appeared nightly for two weeks. After getting backing for a documentary from a man named Gregoire, Namir travel to Egypt to make his film. Things there are not as easy as Namir had hoped. The Coptic priests and bishops are not cooperative. Filming permits are difficult to obtain. Namir knows he is getting a runaround but is at a loss as to how to circumvent the situations that confront him.
“Although his mother made him promise not to go to her village and film her family, Namir leaves Cairo and heads north. He visits his aged grandmother, his aunt and many cousins. Their village is picturesque. The jagged stone buildings are put together with mortar of straw and mud. The family is struggling in the fields and can barely feed themselves. Namir decides to simulate a visitation of the Virgin Mary in the family village. Gregoire (first in Poland then Mexico) and Namir exchange phone calls. When Namir finally explains he needs ten days more shooting time, Gregoire backs out of the project and hangs up.
“So Namir’s mother hops a plane and steps in as producer. She grabs a bullhorn, hops a donkey cart and gets everyone organized. Although hesitant at first, the villagers – Copts and Muslims alike – get behind the project. The auditions for the role of Virgin Mary are quite funny. By the end of the re-enactment, Messeeh has given us a wonderful depiction of a rapidly vanishing Egyptian culture. 3.5 cats
(THE VIRGIN, THE COPTS AND ME screened as part of the 2012 Tribeca International film Festival.)”