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Cannes 2025: Desert odyssey Sirat and postpartum drama Die, My Love paint seemingly heavier emotions

Cannes 2025: Desert odyssey Sirat and postpartum drama Die, My Love paint seemingly heavier emotions

Indian Express19-05-2025
Grief hits in different ways. Some shut down, refusing to deal with it. Some drown in it. Learning to live with it is part of being an adult, but it can be a hard ride.
Oliver Laxe's competition entry Sirat uses a staggering tragedy to hang its grief-struck characters on: it is an unimaginably cruel trick that is played on an unsuspecting Luis (Sergi Lopez), who, along with his young son Esteban (Bruno Nunez), has set out to look for his missing daughter. She's been gone for months, but following a slim indication that she may have fetched up at a rave in the Moroccan desert, Luis and Esteban team up with a group on the run from a militia.
The setting feels futuristic, with an impending big war.
The rebel group — Jade, Steffi, Josh, Tonin and Bigui – has been together for a time, at ease with each other's oddities and disabilities. These characters, all played by non-actors, become the support the father and son are looking for as they push deep into the Sahara, creating a convoy of hope till despair engulfs them.
Laxe's stunning film could be neatly divided into two parts. The search and the aftermath of the tragedy, where the group is left stranded in the middle of a minefield, surrounded by lethal live bombs. Will they make it to the other side?
The rave party dances like no one's looking, like there's no tomorrow, like this is the moment where they can be fully alive. Death does come, but the travellers continue, because there is no other choice: Sirat, the Arabic word for path, is magnificently literal and allegorical at the same time, — it doesn't allow death to come as an end.
Life goes on, however fragmented and painful it may be.
Die, My Love
Very few filmmakers dig as deep into the ties that bind us in happiness and in sorrow as Lynne Ramsay does.
Die, My Love in Cannes competition, stars Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson as a married couple. Grace and Jackson have just moved to an isolated country house and they are shown revelling in the sheer space, in and out of the house.
'Hey, look, here's an office,' we hear Jackson's voice, 'maybe you can write your great American novel here.' That is the plan. But mice and men stop Grace in her tracks — the room is full of mice, and the man in her life, while appearing to be completely in sync, is almost always at odds. He turns up with a dog when it is a rat-catching cat that they need most. The baby that they have, after an intensely passionate interlude, becomes the thing that gets in between them.
Having a baby and desire are not mutually exclusive. As a woman in the depths of postpartum depression trying to deal with sexual deprivation while being as good a mother as she can be, Lawrence is outstanding.
Pattinson offers well-judged support: in his callow ways, the pressures of parenting overwhelm him too. Sissy Spacek, playing Jackson's mother, is surprisingly sympathetic, understanding the weight of Grace's turmoil. Motherhood is not always what it is cracked up to be, and only Ramsay can say it in this unflinching, clear-eyed fashion.
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A user by the name of Abubakar Qassam posted: 'When I saw this song about Pakistan being played on Saudi TV today, I couldn't believe my eyes. It brought peace to my heart that the world is finally recognizing Pakistan. Thank you Prime Minister, thank you Field Marshal." Similarly, Advocate Madiha Shah, a Cyber Law expert, declared: 'Famous Saudi singer Rashed Al-Fares has released his anthem 'Ana Pakistan, Ma Fi Khauf' on Operation Bunyan Al-Marsous and Saudi-Pak friendship. The song is going viral on social media!" Denmark-based Pakistani researcher and psychologist RA Shahzad posted, 'This song sung by a Saudi singer is playing on a Saudi channel, which shows the breadth of relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. This song will make the enemies of Pakistan, Modi and the youth, sit on the edge of their seats. The more they try to bring down Pakistan, the more Allah is giving them respect." 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By simulating support from non-aligned nations and amplifying fringe messages through coordinated bot networks, the goal has often been to create an illusion of legitimacy and global solidarity. More dangerously, these campaigns often exploit emotional and religious sentiments, especially targeting audiences in the Gulf, by invoking a sense of fraternal Islamic unity — a strategy that attempts to position Pakistan as the rightful defender of Muslim causes. Such tactics betray a deeper insecurity. As Pakistan faces increasing diplomatic isolation, economic decline, and mounting military setbacks, its leadership appears to rely on fabricated optics and digital theatrics to distract domestic audiences and manufacture pride. This most recent episode involving an AI-generated song and a falsely implicated Saudi singer is just another chapter in Pakistan's long-running saga of digital deception. Why Saudi Arabia is not buying it Saudi Arabia holds immense influence in the Muslim world. Associating its cultural icons with pro-Pakistan messaging lends false weight to Islamabad's narrative — or so they believe. However, this move has backfired. Saudi Arabia's foreign policy under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is marked by pragmatism, non-alignment, and strategic clarity. The Kingdom has deepened economic and diplomatic ties with India, including multi-billion-dollar investments, defense cooperation, and cultural exchanges. When the Crown Prince famously referred to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his 'elder brother," it wasn't a diplomatic formality — it was a reflection of a growing trust-based partnership. Rather than showcasing strength or solidarity, this propaganda stunt has exposed Pakistan's desperation and technological misuse. Even advanced AI tools like Grok were misled — a cautionary tale in the digital age where truth must be defended as aggressively as territory. By attributing a fake song to a beloved Saudi singer, Pakistan has not only exposed its desperation but also insulted the intelligence of its own population. The attempt to rope Saudi Arabia into an anti-India narrative using artificial means not only disrespects the Kingdom's values but also undermines Islamabad's own credibility on the world stage. top videos View all India continues to emerge as a reliable, pragmatic partner in West Asia, and Saudi Arabia solidifies its role as a global leader with maturity and vision, Pakistan's fabrications only serve to widen the chasm between fact and fiction. While AI might help in simulating reality, it cannot manufacture diplomatic ties, nor can it replace the respect earned through real-world achievements. Zahack Tanvir is an Indian-origin activist and founder of The Milli Chronicle, a UK-based publication. With expertise in geopolitics and counter-extremism, he provides insights into global affairs. He holds certifications in Counterterrorism from the University of Leiden of Netherlands, and Georgetown University of Washington DC. He tweets under @ZahackTanvir. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 27, 2025, 14:25 IST News opinion Opinion: Saudi Analysts Expose Pakistan Army's Fake AI Song Deepfaking Rashed Al-Faris Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Ruchi Gujjar slaps producer Karan Singh at film premiere, files police complaint alleging Rs 23 lakh fraud
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