Shabah el madi: A Haunting Look at the Past

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies that feel like they were dug out of a dusty attic, Shabah el madi is definitely worth a watch. It moves at its own pace—a slow, deliberate crawl that might drive modern viewers up the wall. If you need constant action or snappy dialogue, you will probably hate this. It is moody, it is black and white, and it takes itself very seriously.

Amina Muhammad carries so much of the weight here. There is this one scene where she’s just staring out a window, and you can see the *entire history of her character's disappointment* in the way her jaw sets. It is a tiny detail, but it stuck with me.

The vibe is everything

The film has this oddly empty feeling in some of the outdoor shots. Sometimes the background looks like it’s barely holding together, like a stage play where the set pieces might wobble if someone sneezed too hard. It actually adds to the dreamlike, slightly off-kilter atmosphere.

Badr Lama is doing a lot of heavy lifting with his eyes. He has this way of looking at the other actors that feels like he’s trying to solve a puzzle that isn't there. It is a bit hypnotic, honestly.

Some quick thoughts:

• The lighting is either pitch black or blindingly bright. There is no middle ground.
• I’m not sure if the sound mixing was intentional, but the echoes in the hallway scenes are distracting in a weirdly good way.
• The dialogue feels like it was written for a stage, not a camera. It’s stiff, but it works.

It reminded me a little bit of the mood in Sposa nella morte! where everything feels like it is building toward a cliff that you know is coming but can't look away from. They share that same sense of inevitable doom.

There is a sequence about halfway through that just goes on for about 30 seconds too long. You’re waiting for someone to speak, but they just stand there. It starts to feel awkward. I liked that. It felt like the movie was forgetting to be a movie for a second.

Ibrahim Lama clearly had a vision for this thing, even if the budget wasn't always there to back it up. It isn't polished, but it has a pulse. 🎥