CINEBLEND Open Air screening i.c.w. EYE Filmmuseum, Tolhuistuin, Dancing on the Edge, 180 Amsterdammers.
Trances (El hal) – Ahmed El Maanouni
Morocco, 1981. Arabic spoken, English subtitles, 87 minutes
Restoration supported by The Film Foundation/World Cinema Project. Dutch Premiere.
13 June | 20:30 doors open | Tolhuistuin
Trances (El hal) is a remarkable fly-on-the-wall portrait of the band Nass El Ghiwane, also known as “The Rolling Stones of Morocco”. With their intoxicating instruments, complex rhythms and pacifistic lyrics, they were one of the most influential bands of the Moroccan counterculture. For Martin Scorsese, Trances was the final push to found the World Cinema Project. Scorsese discovered the band while assembling The King of Comedy for a New York TV channel. Music by Nass El Ghiwane is used by Scorsese in The Last Temptation of Christ.
A musical introduction to the evening will be provided by writer and singer Samira Dainan and guitarist Dieter van der Westen (Kasba). For the music project 5amsa, Dainan investigated several folk styles in Morocco. Her upcoming book focuses on mystical, music rituals from Morocco. Among other pieces, she performs arrangements of Nass El Ghiwane. The concert will be followed by an Iftar meal sponsored by restaurant Meram. This screening is also the pre-opening of the Cineblend Festival.
Cineblend Open Air is a recurring open air movie night in the garden of the Tolhuistuin. The next scheduled nights are the 11th of July, 8th of August and 12th of September.
