Download #Roman on iTunes: apple.co/2gNjp9c
Listen to #Roman on Apple Music: apple.co/2vnE1rQ
ROMAN, new single by Mashrou' Leila: hyperurl.co/Mashrou
Download and Stream IBN EL LEIL (Deluxe Edition) now:
Worldwide: ow.ly/5usW30dII1I
Middle East: ow.ly/IoOY30dII8u
Directed by Jessy Mousallem
Produced by Clandestino Films and Caviar
Executive producers: Wissam Smayra, Ray Barakat, Katie Dolan
Director of Photography: Daniel F. Abello
Choreographer: Tuixen Benet
Dancer: Dorine Aguillar
Editor: Carlos Font Clos
Colorist: Houmam@MPC
Post production: Lucid Post
Music by Mashrou Leila
Lyrics by Hamed Sinno
Recorded at Hotel2Tango by Radwan Ghazi Moumneh
Mixed by Firas Abou Fakher and Carl Gerges
Mastered by Mickael Rangeard at Question de Son, Paris
For lyrics and translations turn on subtitles or scroll down
Synopsis:
Equality. Solidarity. Intersectionality. #charge
مساوة. تضامن. تقاطعية. #عليهم
The video self-consciously toys with the intersection of gender with race by celebrating and championing a coalition of Arab and Muslim women, styled to over-articulate their ethnic background, in a manner more typically employed by Western media to victimise them.
This seeks to disturb the dominant global narrative of hyper-secularised (white) feminism, which increasingly positions itself as incompatible with Islam and the Arab world, celebrating the various modalities of middle-eastern feminism.
The video purposefully attempts to revert the position of the (male) musicians as the heroes of the narrative, not only by subjecting them to the (female) gaze of the director, but also by representing them as individuals who (literally) take the backseat as the coalition moves forward.
So while the lyrics of the verses discuss betrayal, struggle, and conflict, the video revolves around the lyrical pivot in the chorus:
‘aleihum (charge!)
treating oppression, not as a source of victimhood, but as the fertile ground from which resistance can be weaponised.
Credits:
Producer: Farah Assaf, Antoine Taylor Sfeir / Post Producer: Razan Hamdan / Assistant Director: Tarek Bou Chebel / Production Manager: Elie Khayat / Production Assistant: Zeina Badran / Key Grip: Elie Eid / Steady Cam Operator: Fares Corbani / Drone Operator: Carlos Rbeiz / Gaffer: Rabih Samaha, Gamma Engineering / Stylist: Moe Rida / Mashrou Leila Stylist: Cynthia Jreige / Wardrobe Assistant: Joseph Assaf / Horse Rider: Coco Germanos / Main Cast: Racha Salhab, Leen Khalifeh, Gabriella Kassab, Reem El Khoury, Nour Salida, Maya Ammar / Main Dancers: Chantal Rabay, Krystel Rabay, Melissa Sofian, Yusra Shireen, Lynn Al Abiad, Pauline Lange / Online Artist: Sebastien Leclercq / Special Thanks: FP7/McCann, Cherif Massoud, Andre Chammas, Melanie Dagher, Ayla Hibri, Toni Sfeir, Jack Nammour/ Smallville Hotel, U-group Travel, Crepaway, P’tit Creux, Yaraqa, Fadel Makki
Lyrics:
مش ناوي إبلع أكاذيبك
الكلام رح يحرق حلقي
مش ناوي شرّح نواياك
خلّي لسانك بقفصه
خلّي الوقت الذي أعطيته لك
وأخنق النفس التي كنتها لك
بسّ قبل ما تقبرني
قلّ لي شو كان سعري
عليهم عليهم عليهم عليهم
الدود ينحت جسدي
الأرض تحضن جلدي
كيف بتبيعني للرومان
الدود ينحت جسدي
الأرض تحضن جلدي
كيف خسرتك للرومان
عليهم عليهم عليهم عليهم
كيف بتبيعني للرومان
كيف خسرتك للرومان
I don't intend to swallow your lies
The words would sting my throat.
I won’t dissect your intentions;
Leave your tongue in its cage.
You can keep the time I gave you;
Strangle what self I was for you,
But before you lay me to rest,
Tell me what cost I came at.
Charge
Charge
Charge
Charge
Worms sculpt my body now.
The earth cradles my skin.
Why'd you sell me to the romans?
Worms sculpt my body now.
The earth cradles my skin.
How'd I lose you to the romans?
Charge
Charge
Charge
Charge
Why'd you sell me to the romans?
How'd I lose you to the romans?
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