{"id":17729,"date":"2018-11-14T12:53:42","date_gmt":"2018-11-14T20:53:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/independentlens\/?post_type=blog&p=17729"},"modified":"2023-09-06T16:21:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T23:21:00","slug":"erika-cohn-unfolds-a-new-perception-of-sharia-law-in-portrait-of-remarkable-woman","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/dipsy.pbs.org\/independentlens\/blog\/erika-cohn-unfolds-a-new-perception-of-sharia-law-in-portrait-of-remarkable-woman\/","title":{"rendered":"Erika Cohn Unfolds a New Perception of Shari’a Law in Portrait of Remarkable Woman"},"content":{"rendered":"

Erika Cohn, who co-directed (with Tony Vainuku) the <\/span>Emmy Award-winning<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Independent Lens<\/em> doc <\/span>In Football We Trust<\/a>, <\/span><\/i>went from the gridiron in Utah to the Shari’a courts of Palestine for her follow-up film The Judge<\/strong><\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>the story of the first-ever female judge in Palestine\u2019s religious courts.<\/span><\/p>\n

The film is “a welcome femme-empowered portrait of an inspirational female Shari\u2019a judge,” wrote Variety<\/em>. It is “a portrait as delightful as its subject: Kholoud Al-Faqih, a pioneer of Islamic jurisprudence and as fiery as any Western feminist. Essential viewing for its smashing of stereotypes,” adds MaryAnn Johanson.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cohn spoke to us about how she came to tell this unfolding v\u00e9rit\u00e9 legal drama that offers a perception of Shari’a law unlike any we\u2019ve seen before.<\/span><\/p>\n

What led you to want to make a film about Judge Khouloud and go to the Middle East?<\/b><\/p>\n

I have always been fascinated with how law is interpreted \u2013 how power, economics and\/or status can influence implementation. I am captivated by the intersection and tension between religion, culture,\u00a0and identity. I am drawn to narratives about strong women. Kholoud\u2019s story stuck with me and I felt that her experiences might invoke a more nuanced understanding of Shari\u2019a, challenge rapidly increasing global Islamophobia and highlight positive advancements for women by women in the Middle East, which are often uncovered or ignored by mainstream media.<\/span><\/p>\n

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in making this film? Logistically, technologically, culturally…<\/b><\/p>\n

The first challenge was approaching the Qadi al-Quda (Chief Justice) to gain access to the Shari\u2019a courts. After numerous meetings and proposals (which were later repeated every time a new Qadi al-Quda was appointed\u20263 times in total), I was granted full access. I believe this was only achievable given our team\u2019s non-threatening presence, my gender,\u00a0and compact camera kit. <\/span>
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\n<\/span>Within the courts, we unobtrusively captured proceedings with GoPros and small DSLR cameras. When people would come into court, I would briefly describe the project, then ask for permission to film or record their voices. Because of the sensitive nature of the proceedings, some chose not to participate or agreed to participate if they could remain anonymous. <\/span><\/p>\n

Cinematographer Amber Fares and I visualized cases that occurred when we weren\u2019t filming or when it was necessary to preserve individuals\u2019 anonymity via obscured recreations, primarily shot with a moving slider camera. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Judge<\/span><\/i> was shot over a 5-year period, only 6 months of which I was living in Jerusalem or Ramallah. The remainder of the shoots took place in month-long increments, every other year and a couple of pick up shots towards the end. Not living in the same place as Judge Kholoud throughout the project\u2019s entirety was difficult, given that this is a cinema verit\u00e9 film. <\/span><\/p>\n

As the years went by, our cameras upgraded. Editors Sara Maamouri and Ken Schneider masterfully played with time and continuity, seamlessly and creatively addressing these challenges. <\/span><\/p>\n

In the edit, we sorted through hundreds of hours of footage, ultimately interweaving intimate verit\u00e9 footage from Kholoud\u2019s home life and unprecedented drone aerials of the West Bank, painting a unique and vivid portrait of Palestine\u2019s raw beauty. However, we struggled with how to address the complexities of law in Palestine. Palestine has legal remnants of the Ottomans, the Hanafi Islamic school of thought, British, Jordanians, Egyptians and Israelis.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, given the political complexity and varying forces at play, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, West Jerusalem,\u00a0and Gaza all have different laws. Therefore, a ruling made in one territory may not be applicable in another. How much legal and historical context viewers might want or need?<\/span><\/p>\n

Through a series of test screenings, we were able to examine what audiences were responding to, and ultimately stayed true to Kholoud\u2019s story, only addressing the legal challenges and backdrop, as it related to her life within the scope of the film.<\/span><\/p>\n

Could you talk about the interesting use of music and sound in the film?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Music plays a key role in <\/span>The Judge<\/span><\/i>. Kholoud embodies what jazz music means to me \u2013 she resists oppression, asserts her right to equality and does so boldly. I wanted to take that feeling and voice it in a musical score that incorporated Middle Eastern music elements but didn\u2019t want to orientalize or exoticize the film. I couldn\u2019t find temp music that conveyed the right feeling\u2026therefore our early cuts felt disjointed and conventional.<\/span><\/p>\n

Working on a shoestring budget, composer Omar Fadel and I worked together to construct 10 minutes of music with a unique, organic aesthetic of piano, cello, guitar,\u00a0and pedal steel. I used the stems from this music suite to craft the temp music, which created a much more authentic feel and helped inform the remainder of the edit. Once we received funding from ITVS, Omar began scoring the film, which became the soul and heartbeat of <\/span>The Judge<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jim Lebrecht with Berkeley Sound Artists\u00a0worked wonders on this audio and was able to blend in with the material shot of different time periods. In addition, he and his team were able to bring Palestine to life through sound (insects, cars, the air, the calls to prayer, the language, the flow of everyday life), transporting viewers with a more immersive experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How did you gain the trust of Judge Kholoud, her family, and the other people featured in the film?<\/b><\/p>\n

While I was on a shooting hiatus with my last film, <\/span>In Football We Trust<\/span><\/i>, I received a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship in Israel\/Palestine. There I taught film, mentored local filmmakers, assisted NGOs in\u00a0launching media advocacy projects, and continued my post-graduate research in Islamic feminism at Hebrew University. One day, a dear friend and colleague invited me to attend a Shari\u2019a law reform meeting in Ramallah.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I was welcomed into a large conference room filled with the images of [Yasser] Arafat throughout the years hanging in old picture frames, and seated at a table surrounded by men in tarbooshes (hats that judges and sheiks wear). Then Judge Kholoud walked in and everyone stood to greet her. I was immediately struck by her presence \u2013 her confidence \u2013 her command of the room. I wanted to know more. Who was this woman? What was her story?<\/span>
\n<\/span>“I was immediately struck by her presence \u2013 her confidence \u2013 her command of the room.”<\/pullquote>
\n<\/span>Though my Arabic comprehension was limited, I listened intently to a discussion about Palestine\u2019s legal challenges, issues of domestic violence, regulations surrounding polygamy and the importance of raising the marriage age. I began to grapple with the complexities of law in Palestine. I understood that the law had remnants of the Ottomans, the Hanafi Islamic school of thought, British, Jordanians, Egyptians and Israelis. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, I hadn\u2019t fully appreciated the day-to-day legal implications. Given the political complexity and varying forces at play, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, West Jerusalem,\u00a0and Gaza all have different laws. Therefore, a ruling made in one territory may not be applicable in another. \u00a0<\/span>
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\n<\/span>As Judge Kholoud passionately spoke about how women are disproportionately impacted by these inconsistencies and addressed the difficulties in creating a uniform legal system, I wondered why and how she decided to become a Shari\u2019a judge. Judge Kholoud and I were introduced at the end of the meeting and I was moved by her charisma and personal story.<\/span><\/p>\n