The 2024 film Moon (originally titled Mond) is the second feature film by writer-director Kurdwin Ayub, a talented filmmaker who has made a name for herself with bold storytelling. The story is centered on Sarah, a former martial arts champion who is contracted as a personal trainer to three affluent Jordanian sisters. That job which appears to be every employee’s dream becomes nauseating. The young women are portrayed as always being watchful and seemingly not much interested in martial arts like Sarah who was on the receiving end of the offer for the position. First, the spectator may wonder if such a fascinating plot really has its roots in reality, or not.
IS ‘MOON’ 2024 Movie (MOND) A REAL STORY?
MOND or ‘MOON’ is not based on any real-life story but is adapted from real-life scenarios of some Middle Eastern countries like Jordan. Director Kurdwin Ayub,a native of Iraq, raised in Austria, can visualize the details of Middle Eastern societies and their nasty facets of wealth, gender, and seclusion. It portrays many realities of life especially the system of employing fitness trainers or any expert to train within the compound and behind cordoned walls of families in countries such as Jordan.
The inspiration for MOND (‘MOON’) comes from Ayub’s personal experiences, as well as the cultures she knows well. She said that the sisters in the film were based on her cousins and that she always felt like Sarah, the main character of the film. Ayub’s family had to leave Iraq when she was an infant and she visits Iraq often, as she always tries to identify herself, both American and Middle-Eastern. This experience of estrangement is therefore at the core of her narratives.
Ayub thought that it was important to tell a more nuanced and realistic story – this was not the kind of story where a stranger swept in to ‘rescue’ someone from despair. In the film, Sarah is the target of the viewers’ identification, and when she comes to live with her family, she discovers that the issues are way deeper than she expected.
One of the stories that influenced the film was that of Princess Haya of Jordan, the sister of King Abdullah II, who left Dubai for England and fell into personal issues. That is why Ayub used such real-world events to create a setting that feels familiar, even though the film itself is a work of fiction.
MOND (‘MOON’ 2024) STORY
The main character is Sarah, performed by Florentina Holzinger – a woman who is a mixed martial arts fighter and is now finished with her competitive career. Sarah is currently struggling with the future and her career in the boxing ring after a particularly challenging match where she lost badly. Her current job of teaching in a local gym is unfulfilling as her tough training regimen is beyond what her charges can handle being a professional personal trainer.
Bea, the older sister of Sarah played by Tanya Ivankovic also advices her that she should come up with a strong business plan. However, the very first opportunity that comes her way is an employment with Abdul (Omar Almajali), a rich Jordanian, who offers her a short-time work in Jordan.
When she reaches Jordan, Sarah starts training the three Al Farahadi sisters –Nour portrayed by Andria Tayeh, Shaima portrayed by Nagham Abu Baker and Fatima portrayed by Celina Antwan at a glamorous but secluded house outside Amman. Despite the strict supervision, lack of civil liberties and spending most of the time under the cam – the only activities the sisters are left to do are putting on makeup, watching soap operas, and praying.
Sarah quickly comes to learn that she has not been told all the details of the customs and life of the new place. When she communicates with the sisters and wanders round the villa, she begins to realize the sinister relations between them and the general atmosphere of cruelty. Because of this, she discovers other secrets about restricted areas in the villa and what comes out with the strange behaviors; she learns other unpleasant things about the Al Farahadi family and their lifestyle.
THE CAGE METAPHOR: THE HIDDEN THEMES IN MOND (‘MOON’)
The film uses the metaphor of cages—both physical and metaphorical—to explore themes of confinement and freedom. Kurdwin Ayub has mentioned that MOND is based on the concept of ‘cages.’ In a director’s note, she has mentioned that it is not only caged in the literal sense, but it is the metaphorical cages that are built in our minds as well. The whole story is expressed in terms of sisters, wherever they may be, and cages, wherever they may exist. Those cages in a manner you want to bring an end to and then those which you would wish to be put back in were it not for the call of responsibility, she said. Sarah who practices martial arts is a fighter in real life and she too is a captive behind the rigidity her employers have placed her in just like the sisters who due to their wealth and status are prisoners between the four walls of their home.
Ayub also discusses difficulties of creating her second full-length after the success of her first film Sonne. She observed the need to assert herself as a real filmmaker in MOND, or MOON, predicated on the fact that second features are more critically examined than the first.
To add a realistic feel to “Moon”, it employs several techniques. The director of photography Klemens Hufnagl effectively included handheld cameras and mostly natural lighting to the scenes to make them as real as could be. The movie compares the normal Austrian life and the luxurious isolated villa in Jordan, therefore contrasting cultures. Real shooting on locations in both countries makes the picture more realistic as for the environment.
In general, MOND (‘MOON’) is a strong movie based on real wars but telling a fictional story full of intrigues and conflicts. Ayub’s ability to provoke debate and explore difficult themes promises to leave viewers with much to think about long after the credits roll.
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