Lebanese filmmaker Rania Rafei uncovers mysteries of love in Copenhagen
Lebanese filmmaker Rania Rafei talks to IMS about her short film “Notes on Love in CPH” produced during her intensive month in Copenhagen where she met with Danish counterparts and studied documentary filmmaking techniques
– I woke up one day, and I know it sounds like a fairytale, but… I woke up and wrote on the paper ‘Notes on love in Copenhagen’ and then I went into the streets with a camera.
Thus began Rania Rafei’s quest to uncover the mysteries of love through documentary film during an intensive month-long in Copenhagen organised by International Media Support. Rania presented her film, entitled ‘Notes on Love in CPH,’ along with seventeen other Arab filmmakers during the Copenhagen Documentary Film Festival CPH:DOX in late 2010. All of the films had been produced within the framework of IMS’ exchange programme run in cooperation with the Danish Filmschool, where Arab and Danish filmmakers undergo an intensive filmmaking course together and visit eachothers’ countries to refine their filmmaking skills.
Despite positive trends over the last few years, there is no strong tradition of producing independent documentary films in the Arab world. Arabic TV channels rarely procure externally produced documentaries and most national broadcasters. IMS thus hopes to encourage more documentary filmmaking through its exchange programme which partners film professionals in Denmark and the Arab world.
The definition of love
Rania describes herself as a curious person by nature, constantly asking questions to strangers and new friends, and so the format of this film fit her personality to a tee. We watch as the camera startles unsuspecting strangers in various settings- King’s Garden, a rumpled bed, a boisterous party- and their shocked reactions when Rania asks them on the spot to voice their definition of love.
The answers she receives simultaneously showcase facets of Danish culture and universal musings on the topic. One young woman delicately describes the smell of her boyfriend’s neck; a Boy Scout leader mentions his devotion to God; a drunken boxer simply replies, “I’m disappointed.”
Though many of the participants seemed very willing to discuss such a personal topic on camera they had trouble finding the right words. Rania explained this by saying:
– When I did this movie, I noticed that everyone is constantly looking for love in life. But when you ask people their definition of love, I notice it’s very difficult for them to formulate it. Like Bizet’s opera Carmen when she says: “it’s a bird you cannot catch,” love is a mystery and you cannot define [it] and you cannot understand it and you cannot put it in a frame.
Experienced filmmaker
The film exhibits a refined cinematography and reflects the extensive experience of Ms. Rafei. She has directed several shorts, music videos and documentaries like Al Sahen (2005), which won the Cinemaiyat Golden Apple award. Yet her training in Copenhagen opened a new door in her relationship with filmmaking. She fell under the wing of the Danish Filmschool professor Arne Bro, who encouraged her to explore personal issues like her relationship with her husband on camera. Rania described his guidance as “liberating,” but vowed that she would never again expose her private life in such a public venue.
Notes on Love in CPH’ possesses a delightful spirit and is simply fun to watch. No doubt a viewer would find herself pondering her own unique answer to the question ‘what is love’ after seeing it. But perhaps the most truthful answer is one from a backpacking traveler before he treks off halfway through the film:
– What is love?! I don’t know, of course! I don’t have an answer to this question. All right? OK? Thank you.”
