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Elham Ali: ‘The Prisoner’ Highlights ‘Boredom’ in Marital Life

Saudi Actress Elham Ali behind the scenes. (Amazon)
Saudi Actress Elham Ali behind the scenes. (Amazon)
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Elham Ali: ‘The Prisoner’ Highlights ‘Boredom’ in Marital Life

Saudi Actress Elham Ali behind the scenes. (Amazon)
Saudi Actress Elham Ali behind the scenes. (Amazon)

The Saudi film “The Prisoner”, currently screening on Amazon Prime Video, focuses on marital problems. Shot in Egypt, the film is directed by Egyptian filmmaker Mahmoud Kamel, written by Ahmed al- Malawani, and starred by Joy Award-winner Elham Ali, Saudi actor Khaled Sakr, and Egyptian kid Rim Abdelkader.

The story is about Ammar (Khaled Sakr) and Rawan (Elham Ali), a couple who admit that their life has become miserable after losing their son; based on their daughter Rim’s advice, they temporarily move to another house owned by Ammar’s work partner, seeking rest and relief from sadness.

After moving to the new house, Rim spends most of her time on her phone, while Rawan blames her husband for her suffering, convinced that his non-stop work in Dubai took them from their son when he needed them the most, which deepens Ammar’s sadness and guilt.

“I am one of those actresses who prefer to prepare for their character by studying it. My character, Rawan is a woman who lost her son, she is depressed and sad, so I tried as much as I can to simulate this loss by reading the script and meeting with people who experienced such situation,” Ali told Asharq Al-Awsat about the preparations for her role.

“I tried to imagine how could someone face such loss. I was keen to deliver the emotions I heard about from people, I tried to understand the meaning of losing a child and to be a mother. Losing a child does not only lead to depression and sorrow, so I asked questions and looked for people who lived the same experience so I can deliver these emotions while playing the role of Rawan,” she added.

“I loved the film for many reasons, mainly my passion for thrillers which I really enjoy watching. Shooting ‘The Prisoner’ was one of the most enjoyable experiences for me, and I enjoyed watching it. I loved the team I worked with, and the project as a whole, especially that it was overseen by Fadi Ismail, who was like a big brother that took care of all of us,” Elham said.

“Everyone was professional behind the scenes, we worked together in friendly ambiances, a factor that personally encourages me to work in any project, because I believe that what comes from the heart will touch others’ hearts,” she said, describing the shooting experience in Egypt as rich.

Ali believes that “the story of Rawan and Ammar is common in our community because most married couples face similar problems. The real problem is the lack of communication amidst the tense and stressed circumstances they live in. I think it is a real problem that prompts married couples to suppress their emotions and build wrong ideas that lead to blaming the partner.”

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'Critically Endangered' African Penguins Just Want Peace and Food

African penguins are now listed as critically endangered - AFP
African penguins are now listed as critically endangered - AFP
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'Critically Endangered' African Penguins Just Want Peace and Food

African penguins are now listed as critically endangered - AFP
African penguins are now listed as critically endangered - AFP

Mashudu Mashau says it takes about two minutes to catch a penguin, a task he does weekly to investigate sightings of injured or sickly seabirds.

"We don't rush... we go down, sometimes we crawl, so that we don't look threatening, and when we're close, we aim for the head, hold it and secure the penguin," the 41-year-old ranger told AFP.

Sometimes, when penguins waddle up from South Africa's coastline onto nearby streets and hide under cars, it is more of a struggle.

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"We had one today. They're not easy to catch because they go from one side to the other side (of the car), but we got it," said Mashau, who has dedicated the past eight years to working to protect the species.

Once caught and placed with care into a cardboard box, the small feathered animals are sent to a specialist hospital for treatment.

But conservationists and veterinarians are worried their efforts aren't sufficient to stop the decline of the African Penguin, listed as critically endangered last month by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

"No matter how much we do, if there isn't a healthy environment for them, our work is in vain," said veterinarian David Roberts, who works at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) hospital.

Fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs are left globally, mainly in South Africa, down from 42,500 in 1991, and they could become extinct in the wild by 2035, the BirdLife NGO says.

- 'Starving' penguins -

The dwindling numbers are due to a combination of factors including a lack of food, climate change, disturbances, predators, disease, oil spills and more.

But the biggest threat is nutrition, says Allison Kock, a marine biologist with the South African National Parks.

"So many of the penguins are starving and are not getting enough food to breed successfully," she told AFP. When penguins do not eat enough, preferably sardines or anchovies, they tend to abandon breeding.

Authorities have imposed a commercial fishing ban around six penguin colonies for 10 years starting in January.

But SANCCOB and BirdLife say the no-fishing zones are not large enough to have a significant impact, and have sued the environment minister over the issue.

"Ideally we would want more fish in the ocean but we cannot control that. What we can ask for, is to limit direct competition for the remaining fish between the industrial fisheries and the penguins," SANCCOB research manager Katta Ludynia told AFP.

The South African Pelagic Fishing Industry Association says the impact of the fishing industry on penguin food sources is just a small fraction.

"There are clearly other factors that have significant negative impact on the population of the African Penguin," chairperson Mike Copeland said.

The environment ministry has proposed a discussion group "to resolve the complex issues", a spokesperson said. While a court hearing is scheduled for March 2025, the minister -- only in the post since July -- has called for an out-of-court settlement.

Apart from the no-fishing zones, many other initiatives are underway to save the African Penguin, including artificial nests and new colonies.

- Tourist traffic -

Being labelled "critically endangered" can be a double-edged sword.

While conservationists are hoping to get attention and funding, it also makes penguins even more attractive to tourists who sometimes disturb them.

"Penguins are very susceptible... and the level of disturbance, people with selfie sticks, it's becoming more and more of a challenge," Arne Purves, coastal conservation and compliance officer for Cape Town, told AFP.

"Especially as the penguins are now even more high-profile."

Tourism is a vital sector for South Africa and each year thousands of people visit the penguin colonies, bringing in millions of dollars in profit.

For those on the frontlines to save the flightless black and white birds, like Mashau, the spotlight has been a long time coming.

"In the last five years, it was the rhinos... we hope we'll get the same respect now and the same assistance," he said.

It is also about protecting the environment. "This is a species that is an indicator of a healthy ecosystem that humans are also part of... and the healthier the penguins, the more humans also benefit," he said.