Soap opera brings = message of peace=A0-=A0Entertainment=A0-=A0The Washington Times, = America's Newspaper

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September 20, 2006

Entertainment=20

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Soap opera brings message of peace

By Jennie Matthew
AGENCE = FRANCE-PRESSE
September 20, 2006=20

    "In Palestine, opportunities for working in = TV and=20 film production are rare, so it was a very good opportunity," he says.=20
    The rarity of locally made television drama = exposes=20 the lack of basic amenities that actors in the West, even in Egypt, take = for=20 granted.
    There are no Palestinian studios = and no=20 drama schools. Mr. Zreineh was trained by different European directors = at=20 workshops and learned the rest treading the boards on the theater = circuit for=20 the past 10 years.
    Admitting = "disappointment" at the=20 initial reaction from journalists to the trailer -- "you can't judge 20 = episodes=20 from 10 minutes" -- he says he is confident the greater Palestinian = public will=20 be more receptive.
    "Normal Palestinians will = be=20 happy to see a Palestinian production taking place in Palestine," he = says. "Here=20 we are raised on political issues only, and in this soap opera, we are = talking=20 more about social aspects of Palestinian society."=20
    Mr. Zreineh, who earned $750 a month during = filming,=20 is waiting for fame and adulation to roll in. =
    "There=20 is not so much exposure when you work in theater, and last year, after = the first=20 one, when you walk in the streets everyone points at you," he says with = a grin.=20
    At 26, director Rifat Adi has only one other = cinematic credit to his name -- a 10-minute film made in Cairo. He = complains=20 about having to forgo luxuries such as a real car chase to keep the soap = on=20 track.
    "We don't have drama in Palestine. I = wanted=20 to make this project to offer Palestinian children and all the = Palestinian=20 people dreams," he sighs.
    Mr. Othman, = general=20 director of the Maan network, which produced "Shu Fi Ma Fi," says the = purpose=20 was to make people aware of their actions and open debate and also to = bring=20 street culture to the screen as in the United States.=20
    Putting battles with the tiny budget firmly = in the=20 past, Mr. Othman says he hopes he can turn the soap into an Arab = moneymaker.=20
    "I hope we can market it outside Palestine," = he=20 says. "We are a little bit late for Ramadan, but we have started to = contact the=20 Arab satellite stations, and Qatar is interested."=20