Kamal Al-Basha: "Colonia" is a Difficult Human Experience... and My Role Exhausted Me Psychologically

SadaNews - The name of Palestinian artist Kamal Al-Basha has emerged globally and in the Arab world after winning the Best Actor award at the "Venice Film Festival" for the film "Case No. 23." Al-Basha is considered one of the most prominent Arab faces who prioritizes humanity over art. His performance goes beyond traditional roles, delving into his characters in search of human meaning and the existential dimension of each story. Al-Basha leaves his unique mark on every work, through his sincere tone of voice and majestic presence that combines strength and tenderness, pain and hope.

Al-Basha participated in this year's "El Gouna Film Festival" with the film "Colonia," a dramatic work with profound human and political dimensions. In the film, Al-Basha portrays a complex character characterized by contradictions, embodying both weakness and evil.

His presence at El Gouna was not just an artistic participation; it was impactful and laden with human and national messages, asserting that, in his view, art is not a luxury but a resistance against oblivion and marginalization.

Al-Basha revealed details about his role in the film "Colonia."

The artist Kamal Al-Basha clarified that his participation in the film "Colonia" represents an important milestone in his career and that the work differs from any previous experiences in terms of character nature and cinematic narrative.

He described the character he embodies in the film as being difficult and that it psychologically exhausted him during preparation and filming due to its internal conflict and human pain. The character revolves around a conflict between a father and son and two different generations.

He added that the film "Colonia" represents a harsh and different human experience, as it depicts a character of a "father" who is struggling with his past and son in one tense and revealing night.

He noted that the film addresses the relationship between father and son, and the secrets and old scars it conceals that surface during a decisive confrontation. He considers the work to present an intense image of the Arab family, torn between fear and love, silence and confrontation.

Al-Basha explained that the director sought to deepen the human dimension of the character to appear as a victim of circumstances and a troubled society, rather than as absolute evil.

He indicated that the film "Colonia" raises existential questions about authority, fear, and memory, through the story of a father and son invoking their past in one night. He believes that Arab cinema needs works like this that provoke viewers and invite them to think.

On the other hand, Kamal Al-Basha expressed his happiness with the screening of the film within the activities of the "El Gouna Film Festival," affirming that the festival has become an important platform for Arab art and a gathering for filmmakers from around the world. He described the festival as a space for cultural exchange.

He concluded his remarks by asserting that new cinematic experiences like "Colonia" open the door for a new generation of Arab filmmakers to present their visions freely and courageously, noting that the Arab audience has become more ready to receive diverse films that raise questions rather than provide ready-made answers.