"By the Sea" – The Compass of Kuwaiti Cinema

Kuwait officials confirmed that filmmaker Faisal Al-Duwaisan stated that cinema does not simply reproduce a novel as it is, but rather reinterprets it, noting that not every literary work is necessarily suitable for adaptation into a film. This came during his participation in the seminar “Cinema and the Vision of Literary Works,” held as part of the “Summer Cultural 18” festival events, which took place the day before yesterday evening at the Sheikha Souda Al-Sabah Theater in the Writers Association, and was moderated by Nisaa Al-Qassar.

During the seminar, Al-Duwaisan opened a broad discussion on the complex relationship between literature and cinema, and what happens when a story moves from the pages of a book to the camera lens. He clarified that cinema is not based on reproducing a novel verbatim, nor on converting its pages into sequential scenes, because what succeeds literarily does not necessarily succeed on screen.

He explained that novels possess their own tools for description, delving into the human interior, and language, whereas cinema relies on imagery, rhythm, silence, setting, actor movement, and camera work. He pointed out that a prominent film is not born from a good idea alone, and that a good novel does not guarantee the production of a good film.

He added that the real difference lies in the moment the director finds his own way of reading the text and his vision, granting it new life on screen without being enslaved by it. When cinema succeeds in interpreting literature, the viewer does not see the novel as he read it, but rather discovers a new vision of it.

Regarding current experiences in Kuwaiti cinema, Al-Duwaisan described most of them as personal endeavors that command respect, but which often remain individual attempts. He emphasized that a genuine film industry requires state support. He pointed to the experiences of Qatar and Dubai in supporting youth and creatives, helping them realize their cinematic dreams, noting that the Qatari project “Hazaya” was not completed due to the preoccupation of its organizers with preparations for the 2022 World Cup.

Al-Duwaisan stressed the necessity of recalling the film “Bas Ya Bahar” (Just Oh Sea) when preparing for any new Kuwaiti cinematic experience, not out of nostalgia for the past, but because it serves as a model that transcended the boundaries of Kuwaiti cinema to become present in the memory of Arab cinema. In his view, it is a “compass” for Kuwaiti cinema, especially since it ranked nineteenth on the list of the best one hundred Arab films in a poll organized by the Dubai Film Festival in 2013, with the participation of a select group of film critics.

He concluded by affirming that new Kuwaiti cinematic experiences need to possess a distinct and clear identity, so they can achieve a real breakthrough in the cinematic landscape, rather than being mere shows that end with their screening.