As part of women’s history month, Murray State University Cinema International has screened films directed by or starring female leads. That theme is continuing this week with the screening of “Alegria,” a film that tells the story of generational and religious differences among a family in a Spanish city on the North African coast.
Directed by Violeta Salama, “Alegria” tells the story of the titular character, a woman who moved to her parents home in Melilla and is forced to reckon with her religious heritage and family dynamics.
MSU Cinema International co-director Tamara Feinstein said the group selected this movie because of its focus on female characters of different generations and religions, but also because of the city where the film takes place.
“Melilla is a Spanish enclave, but in North Africa. It's like a city state unto itself,” Feinstein said. “Its original foundation under Spanish rule came from the tail end of the Reconquista into the 1400s and the Spanish just never left. So they pushed out the Moors from the Iberian Peninsula, and then they went a little bit further. And so [Melilla is]also a city that has a little bit of tension with the state that surrounds it, Morocco. It gives you sort of an insight into those Mediterranean, North African cultural layers.”
Feinstein said while the film is not overly political, it does address the politics of family cultures and the idea of personal rights.
“The main character is Jewish, but sort of lost from the faith, sort of had an estrangement. And some of her family members are much more observant than she is. You also have her sort of confidant housekeeper who is Islamic, then you also have her best friend who's Christian,” Feinstein said. “They're all in there, they're all women, and they all sort of love each other in different ways, but there's different moments of tension and cultural misunderstandings.”
Feinstein said people in cities like Melilla – despite their religious and cultural differences – have managed to coexist for centuries.
“I think there's a lot of public focus on the tensions or current politics of the tensions between these faiths. But they also all have sort of a common root, and there's a possibility of coexistence and understanding and exploration of the beauty of each of those faces,” Feinstein said. “I think that one of the main emphases of this is to focus on the potential for love and coexistence among a very diverse population.”
Murray State professor of marketing Yana Andonova said she appreciates the film’s focus on family relationships and how sometimes it is nuanced.
“I think this is a very cute movie that focuses on family dynamics and the relationships, especially when you've been away from your family for a while, getting along, the fights, and laughter. Coexisting peacefully and finding a way to reconcile your past and embrace the future,” she said. “I think people will find it uplifting. I would say that it's positive, but it does have difficult moments. It's uplifting, but not overly so.”
Feinstein said she wanted the audience to see “Alegria” as an example of how people can come together despite their differences.
“I want them to come away with a feeling of hope and for the possibility of coexistence, and also enjoy the beauty of relationships,” said Feinstein.
MSU Cinema International is screening “Alegría” Thursday, March 27 and Saturday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m. in Faculty Hall room 208 on the Murray State University campus. The event is free and open to the public.
