Artistic drama and cinema is no longer a field solely geared towards entertainment, but has become one of the most important “soft power” tools that states possess. States are keen to develop such industries in order to bolster their presence and perhaps even their power outside of their geographical borders. The politicization of the movie and drama industry, both worldwide and regionally, has become increasingly apparent in recent years, especially given the technological advancements that the industry has benefited from. These advancements have rendered it more attractive and marketable abroad. In this context, the goals of the drama industry have diversified, from boosting tourism, to improving the image of a country, to the service of its foreign policy agendas, among other things.
Middle Eastern media outlets are among the most attractive to drama and cinema on a global scale, and many of Middle Eastern countries have become among the most significant exporters of drama worldwide. In recent years Egyptian, Turkish and Iranian artistic production has gained prominence and transcended geographical boundaries. Gulf drama is also on the rise, spreading widely in the Arab world. Arab media has simultaneously broadcast foreign drama from countries such as China, Korea, Mexico, India and Croatia, due to the freshness of their content. This foreign content often contrasts with the declining and repetitive works produced by elements of the local Arab drama industry, which tends to focus on issues repellent to wider society, as was the case over the last two television seasons.
Wide Distribution:
Recent years have witnessed significant competition between the producers of cinema and drama, whether regionally or globally, for greater penetration of the media market in the Arab world. Producers have clamored for more airtime while satellite channels in the region have fought to gain broadcasting rights for the most famous programs, both international and regional. The market has been welcoming of programs from China, Korea, Mexico, India, Croatia and Turkey, as well as the newest programs from Egypt and Syria and the Gulf.
Many factors have contributed to the spread of non-Arab drama productions in the Arab world, be they from non-Arab Middle Eastern countries or other regions, which can be summarized as follows:
1-Increasing openness of satellite channels to non-Arab drama productions: Given that satellite channels are often broadcasting 24 hours a day, they have sought to diversify their dramatic content, especially channels specializing in airing drama productions. This is an effective method for attracting viewership and thus getting a greater share of commercial airtime and drawing sponsors, which is one of the most significant tools at these channels’ disposal to acquire sufficient profits to adequately compensate their staff and improve their performance.
In this context, non-Arab drama was one of the tools of diversification, given that it had significant and potentially expanding popularity. Indian drama is an example of this, as it has been widely popular among Arab audiences for many years.
2-Dubbing non-Arab productions: Arab satellite channels benefited enormously by dubbing non-Arab productions into Arabic, which in turn helped disseminate such productions among viewers at a greater rate than subtitled productions. Dubbing was often done in the local colloquial Arab dialects, and foreign names of the characters were changed to Arab ones in order to render them more endearing to Arab viewers. The Syrian dialect became widespread in the dubbing process, followed by the Egyptian dialect, then the Tunisian and Moroccan dialects.
3-Tacking diverse issues: Most non-Arab drama productions being aired in Arab countries demonstrate a high level of professionalism. Sophisticated directing and cinematography, as well as an emphasis on locales of natural beauty, have proven attractive to viewers eager to follow well-acted and visually appealing programming. This is especially true in light of the mediocre and repetitive content of many locally produced shows, and their low-quality cinematography.
The Politicization of Art:
As exporting drama productions abroad between Middle Eastern countries becomes more widespread, patterns emerge of the use of drama and cinema for goals which go beyond entertainment, which can be summarized as follows:
1-Serving foreign policy objectives: Some states have used drama productions as a foreign policy tool, to bolster and spread their soft power both regionally and globally. Turkey is the most prominent example, for though Egypt had used its own drama for such purposes before the Turks, Turkish drama has been able to excel to the point of spreading into Latin America and the Caucasus. It has of course spread enormously in the Arab World, taking advantage of dubbing its shows with the Syrian dialect for Levantine, Egyptian and Gulf audiences, and dubbing with the Tunisian and Moroccan dialects for the benefit of North African audiences.
Turkish drama has spread among Arab countries since 2007, and Turkey has been able to export its television series abroad to over 100 countries, generating profits of up to $ 200 billion annually from the purchase of these shows. The Turkish real estate and tourism sectors have also witnessed a resurgence of sorts in recent years due to the positive image of Turkey projected in drama productions. Such productions often display touristic sites and architecture, such as palaces and villas and even apartments, in a manner attractive to investors who seek to purchase or invest in them.
2-Combating stereotypes: Chinese and Korean drama programs directed towards Arab audiences have sought to combat cultural stereotypes held among Arabs regarding their societies. Arabs tend to perceive the Chinese and Koreans as being severely practical, unsociable, closed societies resistant to any forms of Western culture. Arabic-dubbed Chinese and Korean television series have helped correct such views.
3-Sending messages to the outside world: The Syrian drama industry faced setbacks in the aftermath of the beginning of the Syrian revolution. Producers were hard to come by, as the political, economic and security situation in the country deteriorated. Many television stations boycotted Syrian dramas altogether. Yet the industry bounced back, and much of the programs were shot on Syrian lands in the most secure areas of Damascus, under the protection of the regime’s forces. Syrian shows reflected the perspective of the regime, claiming that the situation is safe and stable despite the war raging within the country’s borders.
In this context, some of these shows focused on the availability of goods and services, indicating that the economy was not badly impacted by the uprising. Some shows did not ignore the political situation in the country, but dealt with the uprising in a manner conforming to the regime’s perspective. Many shows promoted the ideals of patriotism and obeying the commander-in-chief, such as the series “Bab Al-Hara” or the Neighborhood’s Gate, which illustrated that the neighborhood’s leader is the only man capable of protecting it and who holds its interests dear.
4-Confronting isolation: Iranian cinema attained noteworthy success on a global stage through the participation of its actors and directors in major international film festivals, such as that at Cannes. Numerous Iranian productions won international awards, most notably and repeatedly the Palme d'Or. Iranian drama, especially religious drama, has more recently been able to spread within some Middle Eastern countries.
What is notable about this success is that it hasn’t been limited to artists, actors and directors who sought to overcome regime-imposed censorship. Success has also extended to those with close ties to the Iranian regime, who have produced works in the United States and Europe where, according to some critics, the art produced is often close to the pulse of the Iranian street, which can entice audiences curious to learn more about Iranian society.
In conclusion, dramatic productions have succeeded in spreading and transcending the bounds of geography, language, culture and tradition among different peoples. This enables drama to achieve the different goals it set out to attain, especially in light of an increasing trend of nations utilizing drama in the service of their foreign policy.
