Written by: Aysha Mati
Posted on: October 02, 2018 | 
| 中文
Lady of the Emerald Scarf
The anticipation in the room prior to the screening of ‘Lady of the Emerald Scarf’ in Sattar Buksh, Islamabad, was palpable, even more so when the entire venue filled up within a span of 9 minutes. Late arrivals could only stand along the edges of the room, as the team began to restrict entries so the space wouldn’t become overcrowded. The audience was a blend of fans, family, and friends, and of course, starry-eyed hopefuls who dream of achieving the success and artistic vision that the filmmaker in question, Mobeen Ansari, has. Ansari has brought another short film to life, after his debut venture with ‘Hellhole’, enchanting audiences this time around with the story of a woman in Hunza. The film was screened by Kuch Khaas in Islamabad on the 29th of September.
Ansari is well known for his activism, and his travel escapades across Pakistan, where he frames the unthinkable to bring forward never before seen aspects of the country. For example, his book; ‘White in the Flag: A Promise Forgotten’ focuses on minorities within Pakistan, exploring their lives through visual storytelling. Pakistani culture has always been Ansari’s muse, much to the viewer’s pleasure.
His latest silent film follows a woman in Hunza, narrating the tale of her struggle and gratitude in life. Ansari has been visiting Hunza since 1998, but began photographing the region around 2014. His photography showcases the amalgam of cultures in the area, and the picturesque landscape in all seasons. Ansari met the subject of his film, Aziza, two years ago in Gulmit, Gojal District. As he spent time photographing her, he began to feel that she had a deeper, more profound story behind her smile.
Hence began the visual journey of this film, which follows Aziza as she lives her day to day life, moving between her job as a carpet weaver in the carpet centre and as a shepherd for her livestock. The Emerald Scarf she wears is an ode to the colour emerald, which is thought to symbolize growth, reflection, peace and balance. This further weaves into her story and the challenges she continues to face in her daily life, as she stands the helm of the ship that is her family.
The most intricate scenes in the film are those which Aziza spends indoors, whether in her home or at the carpet centre. The silent nature of the film gains more significance in such scenes, when you see close-up shots of the subject interacting with others around them, whether during tea time or through the act of carpet weaving itself. The light pouring in through the skylight of the huts adds another dimension, with the beautiful cinematography capturing even the most delicate specks of dust. Other notable scenes include the subject walking through what might as well be a painting i.e. the picturesque landscape.
Ansari’s love for doors is evident in his transition shots, as he focuses on door frames to set up a scene before it even transpires. What he captures perfectly, however, is how Aziza manages to make the most of her life despite facing the challenges of trying times with a deceased brother, and another brother who is physically disabled. The test of time has made her stronger, molding her like a sculpture from clay, as she stands taller than ever before.
The choice to make such a film without dialogue or sound, only to be supported by its musical score, seems unwise at first, but begins to make a lot of sense as the story continues to unfold. The pained but kind warmth in Aziza’s eyes couldn’t have been brought forward in the way it has, if it was interrupted by sound and dialogue.
This too, can be best understood by the likes of Mobeen Ansari, who was born with a hearing defect and hence finds that body language and facial expressions are more authentic forms of communication, “I tend to understand more in silence.”
Lady of the Emerald Scarf touches upon a lot of socio-cultural issues, but most importantly it allows the viewer to form an emotional association with the subject, in the span of a few minutes of an artfully told narrative.
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