"Desert Dancer": Westernising the Middle East

With all the attention the Middle East has garnered over the past 15-odd years, its no surprise that a bit of romanticizing has occurred. We are wired to want to know more about our “enemy”; and for many of us, there is a desire to convert them — at least in our minds — from foe to fellow human being. At the same time, we seek to justify our controversial actions in the Middle East.

Perhaps that is why a story like “Desert Dancer” seems like it would appeal to western predilections. But that’s just what knocks this film from a great story to a mediocre one. The movie oozes westernization, so much that it almost felt like pro-west propaganda.

Read More