As a cinephile who has traversed the globe in search of unique cinematic experiences, I must confess that “Perfumed With Mint” left me both spellbound and perplexed. The film, directed by Emmy-winning Egyptian cinematographer Muhammed Hamdy, is a visual feast that captivates the senses with its haunting images, yet leaves one yearning for a more cohesive narrative journey.
In his first directorial venture titled “Perfumed With Mint,” Egyptian cinematographer Muhammad Hamdy, who has won Emmys, creates a visually captivating yet slow-paced piece of surrealism that portrays generational dissatisfaction. The visual impact of its opening and closing scenes is undeniable; however, the central message and form tend to lose momentum, lingering for extended durations, which can be disappointing despite this stagnation being a key theme. Despite potentially losing the interest of even lenient viewers during its duration, it still presents some of the most enticing visual verse found in any film at this year’s Toronto Film Festival, serving as a mesmerizing lament for the deceased.
For several minutes at a stretch, Hamdy’s camera glides sideways, skimming low over mint leaves, while soft prayers and murmurs fill the background sound. This unsettling, captivating prologue transitions into the deliberate appearance of Bahaa (Alaa El Din Hamada), a disheartened doctor, who attends to a middle-aged woman claiming she can’t let go of her deceased son, whose ghostly image she believes haunts her everywhere. Through his extended shots, Hamdy portrays a profound sense of spiritual turmoil and people struggling helplessly in the face of death.
As a movie enthusiast, I must say that this film takes its time to delve into the tormented emotions of its characters towards the end. But before that, it weaves an intriguing, dreamlike tale in the deserted streets of Ciaro. Characters like Bahaa and his companion Mahdy (Mahdy Abo Bahat), a man with mint growing from his hair, find themselves fleeing from spectral figures that chase them. This peculiar affliction with mint is quite common among the youth of Cairo, and appears to be somewhat soothed by smoking hashish. This leads to a prolonged second act that leans heavily into a sharp-witted stoner comedy, although it’s beautifully wrapped in stunning visuals of light filtering through windows and absolute darkness, highlighting both spaces and emptiness.
Bahaa is likewise a man with unrequited love, and he constantly carries a cherished letter that, despite being wet at some point, never fully dries. The wounds of his past are subtly depicted through magical realism, as characters leisurely smoke and patiently wait to slip away unnoticed from one location to another.
Hamdy’s talent at crafting atmosphere is a complex tool. While on one side, viewers unacquainted with contemporary Egyptian politics may still grasp the message in his artwork, these are figures who, as they near middle age, have abandoned all dreams for the future and continue to elude oppressive authoritarian forces. These individuals choose numbness from alcohol rather than confront the lifelessness around them. In essence, “Perfumed With Mint” is a deeply political piece that occasionally piques distant interest. For those in the know, it embodies the profound weariness of the post-Arab Spring generation who unwittingly replaced one dictator with another — Mohamed Morsi with Abdel Fattah el-Sisi — and have scarcely ceased protesting since.
Instead of delving deeper or evolving its symbolism, the movie’s early clarity in expressing this wearisome discontentment often remains consistent throughout. Lengthy pauses are filled with subdued, repetitive discussions on political matters, while characters seem to revisit similar topics from scene to scene. Poetic interludes are sprinkled in by certain characters, yet they contribute more to a singular exploration of the nation’s and culture’s prevailing mood rather than adding complexity or depth.
In its tranquil, climactic moments, “Perfumed With Mint” ultimately delivers the visual and thematic transformations it had been missing earlier. The movie’s lengthy, seemingly aimless scenes align strangely well with its exploration of time waste and its erosive effects on individuals. In its final act, it flourishes powerfully through poignant, intense, visually probing questions about the fate of young people when their spiritual wounds remain unhealed, and when their calls to action grow fainter and more distant with each passing political movement. It’s a film that demands deep reflection and patience, but it’s generally worth the wait.
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2024-09-13 14:46