GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — I downloaded the French-Tunisian movie “Blue is the Warmest Color,” particularly because it won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Despite the chronic electricity shortages in Gaza, I downloaded and watched the movie depicting the lives of two lesbians with all their woes, disappointments and isolation, shedding light on the challenges of their sexuality. I was shocked by the explicit scenes in the movie. But Tunisian director Abdullatif Kechiche portrayed the scenes in an innovative and unrestrained way, integral to the plot.
The following morning, I was going to interview Palestinian actresses about the challenges they face in Gaza. Here, I was shocked in a different way, by the hypocrisy these actresses face.