Tunisian Actor, Screenwriter, and Director Dhafer L'Abidine Highlights the Importance of Connecting with the Audience
Tunisian actor, screenwriter, and director Dhafer L'Abidine emphasized the significance of establishing a connection with the audience and understanding the world around them. He explained that this understanding enables artists to be more sensitive to events, not only within their own community but also globally.
The Power of Artistic Expression
L'Abidine stated that this sensitivity and awareness of human issues are what allow a film or any artistic work to shine and be projected worldwide, transcending local and contextual boundaries, as long as it promotes universal human values. "We must write stories that can travel to all countries and be presented in movie theaters on all continents," he added during his participation as a guest at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair, where he met with readers and visitors on Friday during a roundtable discussion titled "From Interpretation to Writing: Artists Tell the Story," alongside Egyptian actor Khaled El Sawy and Emirati actor and theater producer Ahmed Al Jasmi.
The Intersection of Acting, Writing, and Directing
In a dialogue moderated by journalist Nada Al Shaibani, with a large audience present in the main hall of the book fair, the meeting allowed guests to share their opinions, experiences, and transition between the world of acting, cinema, and screenwriting to that of writing in its various forms. The guests expressed their interest in the world of writing and its impact on their professional journey. L'Abidine explained that his experience as a screenwriter stemmed from his passion for storytelling. He highlighted the importance of listening, particularly to production team members, directors, actors, and screenwriters. He also emphasized the need to possess essential qualities such as empathy and a sense of humanity. He added that his experience had taught him to listen to others and make the team a true contributor to the project.
The Value of Authenticity and Honesty in Art
L'Abidine mentioned the importance of talent, saying, "We must also believe in ourselves and our ability to write texts that transcend borders." He recalled that the film "Sofia," for which he wrote the screenplay twelve years ago and directed for a Tunisian-British co-production, but which was never produced at the time, allowed him to acquire valuable cinematic experience over time. L'Abidine discussed his experience as a screenwriter, having written the screenplays for three films, in addition to being the director and actor. He stated, "Writing was for me an urgent need to express a passion and tell a story from a particular angle. The story of a character seen from their point of view is different from that dictated by the director."
The Role of Technology and Education in the Arts
Regarding his work, he added, "I wanted to tell these three screenplays with my heart, because they are personal stories," referring to his films "Ghodwa," "To my son," and "Sofia." Discussing technological advancements, he stressed the need to support the dramatic industry, develop film schools, and multiply specialized workshops within educational institutions to train students and transmit the passion for cinema, while also emphasizing the importance of honesty in writing: "One can write comedy, drama, or any other genre, but the essential thing is to write with sincerity, without being content to follow current events or trends." He denied any influence of his acting career on his writing or directing work.
The Shared Responsibility of Artists and Audiences
Actor and producer Ahmed Al Jasmi explained that the shared responsibility for the success of a work lies with everyone, including the author, actor, director, and technical team. When asked if the current market is more open to good authors or to names that guarantee the success of a work, he affirmed that only authentic art endures and that one should not think solely in commercial terms or follow trends. He believes that today's audience is more aware and cultured than before and can easily distinguish between good and bad.
The Intersection of Acting, Writing, and Personal Expression
Actor Khaled El Sawy reaffirmed his close connection to the world of writing. The audience discovered the talents and creativity of this star, who is an actor, playwright, and poet, when he recited excerpts from a poem in Egyptian dialect. El Sawy, a cinema and theater star and author of several plays, memoirs, and other works, discussed lesser-known aspects of his life. He revealed that he writes poetry in classical and dialectical Arabic and has composed many songs. He declared, "I cannot live without writing. I write constantly and record my daily experiences. I cannot live without writing or without being an actor." He urged families and parents to listen to their children, support their choices, and encourage them to pursue their dreams, whether in theater, arts, sports, or any other field. The important thing, he emphasized, is to cultivate talents and respect children's choices, putting aside preconceived ideas and stereotypes that some people maintain in society about the arts or other fields. El Sawy rejected the idea of dictating public taste, stressing that the public's disapproval of a theatrical piece or any artistic work does not imply the creator's arrogance or an accusation of misunderstanding from the public. Instead, it requires introspection and an attempt to understand the public's expectations, aspirations, interests, and concerns.
