‘El Sett’ can become an important soft power tool for Arabs

Recently a film chronicling the life of the Egyptian singer and actress Umm Kulthum, famously known as Kawkab Al-Sharq (Star of the East), hit the cinemas. The movie is very much needed today. As Arab people see what is happening in Palestine and feel helpless, the movie will ignite in them the pride of being Arab.
I rarely go to the cinema. I have a short attention span, and struggle to focus on a feature movie. “El Sett” is totally different. It is an impressive production, a world-class work of art. For two and a half hours, I could not blink.
As I left the cinema, my heart was full of pride, joy, and hope. The movie made me feel proud to be an Arab, proud to see the Arab resilience and talent represented by Umm Kulthum. I also felt proud to see such an impressive production coming not from Hollywood, but from Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The acting, directing, sets, music — everything about this film is world class.
The movie filled my heart with joy. Somehow the character of Umm Kulthum is what we aspire to be. It is not only about her talent; it is about her determination. It is about the power of her character. During the 1967 war, after Israeli warplanes flew overhead, she decided to do her part and engage. She went to every district in Egypt to mobilize support for the Egyptian army. She recalled how once when she was a child, she had to sing during a storm to earn her fee. She had to sing because her family was poor and needed the money. She told her audience that sometimes you must stand and resist or you die.
My heart was filled with hope as I saw the Palestinian people in Umm Kulthum. In the same way Umm Kulthum resisted the storm and became a star, the Palestinian people will overcome hardship. They will prevail and Palestine will rise and become a star. This is a much-needed movie that will give every Arab hope as they see themselves helpless while their Palestinian brothers and sisters are suffering from Israel’s injustice, cruelty, and sadism.

The movie made me feel proud to be an Arab, proud to see the Arab resilience and talent represented by Umm Kulthum.

Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib

On the political front, if the movie is marketed properly, it can become an important soft power tool for Egypt and for the Arabs. If we look at American influence across the world, it is not only military bases and arms transfers, but also cultural. Hollywood has played a big role in pushing the US agenda around the world and has promoted an Israeli narrative that is anti-Arab. “El Sett” offers a counter-narrative. While Hollywood has typically presented Arabs in a negative light, this production offers a positive image.
Arab countries, namely Egypt and Saudia Arabia, which produced the film, should use their diplomatic connections to make sure “El Sett” gets the distribution it deserves. They should bear in mind that while promoting the story of Umm Kulthum, the movie promotes the story beneath the story: It is the story of Arab resilience.
Embassies across the world should be mobilized. Every commercial attache should engage with every possible theater chain and promote the movie. Everywhere, China, Japan, Russia, Central Asia, Europe, Africa, US, Canada, South America, the movie should be watched by the public.
One might ask, why this movie? To start with, Umm Kulthum’s voice transcends geography, time, and, most importantly, politics. The Arab story can be conveyed through the power of her character without needing to go through politics. The story can impress anyone. Through her character you can tell the Arab story without really telling it. You can convey a subliminal message to your audience: Arab people are strong and talented. They are principled and courageous. They are loyal to their family and their country.
These are exactly the opposite of the traits of how Hollywood has portrayed Arabs. Hollywood has shown Arabs as cowards, cruel, greedy, and unscrupulous. The story of Umm Kulthum destroys those stereotypes. While Hollywood tries to show Arab society as patriarchal, with women having no voice, the film reveals how the voice of an Arab woman mobilized not only her country but also the world.
Arab diplomats and policymakers should take a close look at “El Sett.” The film ought to become an important soft power tool, an important advocacy tool that should not be overlooked.

• Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is a specialist in US-Arab relations with a focus on lobbying. She is co-founder of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace Building, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization focused on Track II.