Metal music may not be to everyone’s taste, but Slave to Sirens, an all-female Lebanese metal band, may make people think about it differently. The band is so passionate about its music and SoundThe documentary, directed by Rita Baghdadi, shows how he uses it to express himself in a politically and economically unstable country. Slave to Sirens is a five-member band, but the documentary focuses on its two founders, Leelas Mayasi and Sherry Bechara. thought provoking, beautifully edited and narrated, Sound Explores the relationship, gender and conformity of band members to each other in a society that is not always open to such things.
The film begins by focusing on the band’s music and their journey to a music festival in the UK. It doesn’t take long for Baghdadi to move to the center of Lilas and Sherry, who work incredibly well together as musical partners. As the story unfolds, the couple’s history unfolds: Lilac and Sherry are childhood friends who also had a romantic relationship. As soon as Leela started showing interest in other women, the two parted ways. Lilac loves women, but he is also uncomfortable talking openly about them to his mother and other people. Her relationship with her mother is strained, with Lilas later hoping that she will move out only when she finds someone to marry her. Baghdadi captures Leelas’s restlessness, moving commentary and the joy of acting particularly well.
Sound Poignant and thoughtful in the way it explores the experiences of Leelas and Sherry. His life is colored by Lebanon’s instabilities – citizens marched in protest against the government and its corruption during the 2019 revolution, the 2020 Beirut bombing and economic crisis, among others – and the Leelas, in particular, struggle to be himself. Because she feels that she won will not be fully accepted. This is reflected in the music of Slave to Sirens, which represents his freedom of emotion and thought. However, it is not just about a feeling of sadness or rebellion, with Sound Learn deeper into the innermostness of his subjects, their friendships, and the way they connect with those around them.
With voiceover from Leelas and Sherry throughout, Baghdadi beautifully captures the essence of the band, and why they are so drawn to metal music, especially as they are the first female band in the Middle East. The film’s ability to be incredibly personal sets it apart. Sherry and Lilac have great chemistry and their friendship is at the center of the film as they both work through communication and personal struggles. In a society where it has its ups and downs and often feels insecure, they are each other’s rock and slave to the sirens, by extension, a radical expression of who they are.
The only big problem that hurts Sound There is an overall lack of focus on Slave to Sirens as a metal band. Little is known about how at least five members met other than the Leelas and Sherry. to this end, Sound Fails the other band members, who get virtually no screen time, and builds their music. How is the life of the other members of the group? Are they struggling with similar things? Sound Doesn’t really dig it all out and leaves what could have been fascinating and relevant about their stories.
Additionally, Baghdadi follows the band in one of their concerts, but it is only at the very end, during the credits, that viewers can see more of their performance at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10014534/. The interpersonal drama and the face-to-face focus on Sherry and Leela is great, allowing Baghdadi to dig deeper, but Sound One could present the music and the group’s journey as a whole for an overview. all the same, Sound Certainly worth a look, especially for the way it tells the stories of Sherry and the Leelas, and the way Baghdadi frames their lives, although the musical aspect could have been developed.
Sound Premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. The movie is 78 minutes long and has not been rated yet.
