Film Opening 2: The Infidel

WHAT I ENDED UP APPLYING

• Diegetic music becoming non-diegetic music, with the first song from the soundtrack, also like I saw in Billy Elliot.
• An example of counter typing, however mine wasn't as interesting as this, due to the limits of a student production 

POSSIBLE POINTS OF INFLUENCE

• I would like to have countertypical representations like we have with the representation of Islam here, but also how I observed the representation of working class in This Is England, generally  going against the stereotypes that Working Title have.

THE INFIDEL

Josh Appignanesi, 2010

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Slingshot Productions, 
                                                 Met Film

DISTRIBUTORS: Revolver (UK)
                             Tribeca Film (US)

GENRE: Comedy-Drama (Dramedy) 

LEAD ACTORS: Omad Djalili

                            Richard Schiff

                            Archie Panjabi

                            Igal Noar

                            Matt Lucas

BBFC:  15                 MPAA: TV-PG

BUDGET:    
BOX OFFICE: $m (UK) $m (US) $m (worldwide)


CRITICAL KUDOS

ROTTING TOMATOES:                    IDMb: 

A full list of reviews listed on IDMb here.

You can find the full film uploaded to YouTube here (average quality with subtitles)

TRAILERS:

A recognisable pop tune, Faith by George Michael is used, a commercial touch. The comedy is pushed forward hear, no real signifiers of the dark/serious elements

SYPNOSIS:

Drama-comedy following a middle-aged, relaxed Muslim father who discovers later that he is actually adopted and is by birth Jewish, causing a mid-life crisis as he tries to find his new identity with this revelation, and a comical but very insightful story of religion and identity.

The opening shot is of a television screen, with the diegetic sound of a screaming crowd , followed by news coverage. This signifies social realism realism.The two men on screen are recognisably denoted as Muslims. This signifies the theme of the film, religion. T The man in the left is using his arms in a stereotypical speech mode, in one hand a microphone and arm waving. His active addressing to the audience and the other man standing passively signify the left man's status. The sunglasses connote a stereotype of a typical bodyguard.

The second shot introduces the protagonist, His emotional expression is neutral, with anger hinted in. His face is centred, with a blurred image of a Muslim women completely covered up, signifying a Muslim household and family. His usage of the swearword "Fuck off" signifies the humorous and satirical side of this film, and breaks expectations of a typical conservative Muslim family.

The screen has been switched to a music video with the singer of Asian ethnicity having a provocative haircut, . This is a binary opposition to the non-Whites Muslim, who stand for conservative values and taboos. Musicians often symbolise breaking conventions and taboos.
SPOILER Unbeknownst to the audience the antagonist is still there.

His positive reaction signifies fandom. Music fandom is mostly connected with younger people, and especially a Muslim middle-aged man breaks this convention. The first actor credit is listed next to the character he plays, further signifying his protagonist role. In the background the woman and girl connote a normal family, but the convention of a Muslim woman is broken  as she is clothes with her shoulders free, which goes against strict Muslim views of women covering up their body. This connotes a liberal and anti-extremist Muslim family.

The music video continues with a two-shot containing double projections of the singer. The second actor has been listed in the left.

Throughout the whole film we have a binary opposition of Conservative and Liberal Muslims, the protagonist keeps being anchored as a countetype, as he is not. However, there is an exception as it is the two men who are going to do the work. Woman is exercising, cares about her body. 

IDENTS:

Three idents, the first two being silent, the third having a signature sound.

TITLES:

It starts with red on black, a horror signifier normally, not the most fitting for dramedy.
Each title lasts 3 seconds with 2 seconds black between each. With the third title the audio bridge starts. 

SLINGSHOT, OMRADSMAN + REVOLVER ENTERTAINMENT PRESENT
IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE SALT COMPANY
A SLINGSHOT/MET FILM/OMRADSMAN PRODUCTION

After 40 seconds of live action, we get the next round of titles, this time lightblue and bold, slightly more fitting for comedy. 
We have the four main actors, signified with the final one being marked with and, often used for the antagonist.

OMID DJAJILI
RICHARD SCHIFF
ARCHIE PANJABI
AND IGAL NOAR

Normally we'd expect more actors for the secondary list, but here we only get one, wouldn't it have been simpler to add him on to the the primary list?

AMIT SHAH 

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS JEREMY AMIAS  YONI MAGID  SHAHIN SOBHANI  

LINE PRODUCER CINDY IRVING 

CASTING DIRECTOR JULIE HARKIN CDG 

MAKE-UP & HAIR DESIGNER SARITA ALLISON 

COSTUME DESIGNER MARIANNE AGERTOFT 

ORIGINAL MUSIC BY ERRAN BARON COHEN 

PRODUCTION DESIGNER ERIK REHL

The return of the red titles on black for one title for the TV, they fade away before we cut back to Mahmud.

EDITED BY KIM GASTER

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY NATASHA BRAIER

The opening track is over, and the film title has appeared, normally that ends the credits, but no, we still get more, in bold non-serif light blue.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS OMID DJALILI  CAVAN ASH
PRODUCERS STEWART LE MARÉCHAL  UZMA HASAN  DAVID BADDIEL
PRODUCED BY ARVIND ETHAN DAVID
WRITTEN BY DAVID BADDIEL
DIRECTED BY JOSH APPIGNANESI


THE PROTAGONIST: 
Who do we follow? We follow him outside the house, and although we will see his son as well going with him, he has a moment on his own, and as he is pranked by the car, he looks up at the sky, foreshadowing his religious mid-life crisis.

REPRESENTATIONS:

RELIGION: We start off with the image of muslim extremism, which is then followed by a whole collection of binaries, including Mahmud saying: "Oh f*** off", a Muslim women reading a Western magazine and saying: "Does Lady Gaga look like an ostrich or what?", and the husband not being the typical dominant male, but described as "in his romantic phase", and a Muslim cleric saying: "Hey, ladies."

SEXUALITY: Still have the typical nucleus of a heterosexual couple and a son.

SOUND:

There is an audio bridge when the third title on black comes on.