The Dying Carousel موت الأحصنة الدوارة

This film marks the beginning of Anhar Salem and her collaborator, Asaad Badawi, as they attempt to document places in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The film captures a joyful experience of liberty through spontaneous filming and musical performances led by Anhar. Doody—Anhar’s niece, who later became the protagonist of Love & Revenge and who has since passed away—appears in the film. The air-conditioned indoor amusement park "Fun Time," where it was filmed in Jeddah, was demolished not long after.

This video is part of Anhar’s video diary series, in which she documents mundane adventures and her first unchaperoned experiences outside the home. Without the traditional permission or presence of a male guardian, and with the freedom to navigate music and film platforms on the internet, she began to develop a relationship with the camera and learn to edit.


Cinematography: Asaad Badawi
Cast: Anhar Salem, Suaad Jbreel, Badriah Ahmed (aka Doody), Lujain Ahmed, Rajaa AlHajj, Ansam Salem

Music:
- The Reading Machine (1977) soundtrack 
- La Manille Et La Révolution - France Gall (1973)
- Shuji Terayama & Makoto Wada - A Band of Old Detectives and the Crime of Dr. Galigari (1972)