Wikipedia article
'A Girl Named Mahmoud' (; 'Bint Ismaha Mamood') is a 1975 Egyptian comedy film directed by Niasi Mustafa.
Samar Habib, author of 'Female Homosexuality in the Middle East: Histories and Representations', wrote that the film "exploits the genre of transvestism as comedy" and that "several homoerotic images can be presented safely and innocently to mainstream audiences" through a female character pretending to be a male.[Habib, p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=LylZ8mvsPlIC&pg=PT126 126].] She explained that because no characters consciously desire those of the same sex and because amida is still a woman, the film puts the audience "at ease".[Habib, p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=iNK5jWJxvrAC&pg=PA129 129].] Habib added that "the question of [whether homoeroticism is forbidden in religion] does not surface so much as the issues of cultural belief, perhaps because the two can sometimes be interchangeable."[
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Habib concluded that the film does not successfully thoroughly examine homoerotic desire and that the film "attempts to rationalize homosexuality as a form of transgenderism (women who desire other women must be essentially men)".[
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Plot
amida (Suhair Ramzi) is the daughter of an illiterate widower, al-ag Firghalee. Firghalee attempts to prevent his daughter from studying at a university, so the medical student assan helps her. After Firghalee reveals he will marry amida to a boy she dislikes, assan has her disguise herself as a man, Mahmoud. assan and his friends lie to Firghalee, telling him they performed transsexual surgery to change amida into a man.[ amida's disguise has an effeminate appearance, and both male and female employees at Firghalee's furniture shop are attracted to "Mahmoud" and many conclude "he" is a homosexual.][Habib, p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=iNK5jWJxvrAC&pg=PA127 127].]
Firghalee's father mistakenly believes that "Mahmoud" is a homosexual when he sees "him" kiss Hassan. He arranges to have Lawaith, a cabaret entertainer, meet "Mahmood" to set "his" sexuality straight, but "Mahmoud" is not attracted to women and is unwilling to sleep with Lawaith.[ One woman says that she has the child of "Mahmoud" and two women claim to be engaged to "Mahmoud". After a doctor mistakenly states "Mahmoud" is pregnant, amida reveals her true identity. She and assan marry.][Habib, p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=iNK5jWJxvrAC&pg=PA128 128].]
Characters
*'amida', a young woman who disguises herself as 'Mahmoud' - Suhair Ramzi
*'al-ag Firghalee', an illiterate widower. After amida re-appears as a boy, Firghalee is overjoyed to have a son, as he had always wanted one. He tells others that Mamood is a formerly-estranged son.[
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**Habib describes Firghalee as "simple" and "traditional".[
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*'assan', a medical student who is in his final year of his coursework. He lives in the same building as amida.[
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*'Waeed', a male whom amida dislikes. Firghalee tries to get her to marry him.[
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*'Lawaith', a cabaret entertainer
*'Soud', an individual who desires a romance with "Mahmoud," but faints when "he" reveals himself to be a woman[
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References
* Habib, Samar. 'Female Homosexuality in the Middle East: Histories and Representations'. Routledge, July 18, 2007. , 9780415956734.
Notes
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