Week10 blog2

<Forbidden Lies>2

Anna Broinowski is the director of film. At first she was not interested in the book Forbidden Love by Norma Khouri. She felt that the story was about anti-muslim context. However, when she found that Norma had been accused of promoting false story, she saw an opportunity to make a documentary about it. For this film, the subject was not forced or tricked somehow to take part in the film or reveal information. The participant was given full independence while talking about her stands about the issue. Evidently, Khouri cooperated in the whole process of filmmaking as she wanted media spotlight so that she could prove herself innocent.

However, in the film, Khouri significantly shows manipulative attitude when she was approached to admit the accusations against her. The director became frustrated with her at times. She did not admit the crime she committed. When she was taken to Jordan in a hunt of searching the truth, she was actually enjoying the tour even though she knew she was lying (Buckmaster). This comforting attitude of the participant even disturbed the filmmaker.

In the film, there were interviews with journalists and activists who were against the book’s story. Also the subject was tied to a lie detector to reveal the truth. Moreover, Norma’s family was present there. Although her family was trying to help her, Norma tried to blame them in an attempt to shift the focus of the film to another direction. Also, when she is taken to Jordan, she does not specify any details which can possibly prove her points or rules out the accusations against her.

From the film, it is understandable that Broinowski had a hard time trying to get the truth and she fails to do so as Norma did not admit anything on camera. However the director did not force or manipulate the subject into revealing anything. She let the subject act on her own will. Moreover, the director also felt particularly happy about the film as it was a true masterpiece. The director even involved her husband and other journalist to watch the recording of the film and then include their reaction in the actual release of Forbidden Lies. The reactions create a unique and exciting element in the film.

Forbidden Lies is an engaging documentary from which the audience can learn a lot of things. Firstly the film shows how manipulative a con artist can be when they are asked questions about their mischief. Also they get a very important message- people should not just believe what is written on the books.

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