{"id":3358,"date":"2022-05-19T10:00:19","date_gmt":"2022-05-19T09:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/medical-humanities\/?p=3358"},"modified":"2022-05-06T09:35:02","modified_gmt":"2022-05-06T08:35:02","slug":"celebrating-cultural-diversity-through-film","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/medical-humanities\/2022\/05\/19\/celebrating-cultural-diversity-through-film\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating Cultural Diversity through Film"},"content":{"rendered":"

Neus Ball\u00fas, Catalan film maker, discusses her film \u2018The Odd Job Men\u2019<\/em> (Spain 2021) with Khalid Ali, film, and media correspondent<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"Neus<\/p>\n

On the 21st<\/sup> of May 2022, the United Nations celebrate the \u2018World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development<\/a><\/strong>\u2019<\/em>. The Day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2002 as an annual event to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms. Bridging the gap between cultures is a prerequisite for peace, stability, and development. Neus Ball\u00fas explores the cultural diversity agenda in her multi-award-winning film \u2018The Odd Job Men\u2019<\/em> (Spanish title: \u2018Sis dies corrents\u2019 (Six Ordinary Days<\/em>). Described as \u201ca dramedy blurring the limits between a fiction film and a documentary, the film exposes racist prejudices in the Catalan society\u201d. Neus documents six days in the lives of Moha, Valero, and Pep, three plumbers\/electricians undertaking jobs in various houses in the outskirts of Barcelona. Highlighting the diversity of its protagonists, the central characters communicate in Spanish, Catalan, and Arabic. Neus worked with three real-life handymen Mohamed Mellali- Moha, Valero Escolar- Valero, and Pep Sarr\u00e0- Pep. Describing how she came to work with non-actors, Neus says: \u201cI joined plumbing and electricity classes where I saw more than 1000 people; in each class there were around 40-50 people. As an undercover casting scout, I had the privilege of seeing people being themselves, they were not acting. I developed a quick sense of evaluating people, or you can call it intuition- whether these people will fit into the film or not. Valero was arguing with teachers all the time, but he also had a funny way of talking. I immediately connected with him; I saw something behind the constant angry and complaining surface. With Moha, it was an instant connection too- he was super shy, but his eyes had a certain dignity. Moha has a tender side, and it was clear that he was open to express himself despite his shyness. With Pep who was already retired, a friend of mine recommended him as he was in amateur theatre and is used to being in creative projects. The challenge was to put them all together in one setting. Luckily, it worked\u201d.<\/p>\n

Explaining the process of making her film, Neus elaborates further: \u201cI did not ask them immediately to act in a film. Initially we did a lot of sessions just playing games and talking. Then we started rehearsing how to act in front of a camera. We spent 2 years together with a freedom to experiment; they could do what they liked. It was like a game they enjoyed; Valero said it was like going to the therapist but for free. It was cathartic\u201d.<\/p>\n