“I would love for anyone who watches this to see and understand a new perspective”: The Algerian-French model speaks to Sagal Mohammed about her thought-provoking new film From the Other Side of the Veil
Farida Khelfa spent her formative years at the heart of Parisian nightlife in the 80s, carving out a reputation as the style icon of her era. A friend and longtime muse to the likes of Azzedine Alaïa, Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Louboutin, as well as fashion photographers Jean-Paul Goude and Pierre & Gilles, the Algerian-French model and socialite is a veteran in the industry for her talents both in front of the camera and behind it.
As one of the first prominent Arab supermodels, Khelfa paved the way for generations to come, advocating for Muslim women like herself to be represented in elite fashion spaces over her decades as an influential figure in the business. Now a filmmaker, her latest project aims to dismantle prejudice stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding women in the Middle East. Titled From the Other Side of the Veil, the film casts a refreshing eye on Muslim Arab women who are ambitious, intelligent and incredibly passionate about their careers in art and fashion, all while maintaining their faith and celebrating their culture. “I was invited to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and I met all these young women who were so talented, so articulate and well educated,” Khelfa tells AnOther. “The way the western media portrays women in this region is so dated and inaccurate and I really wanted to do something about that.”
The film explores the rich history of traditional Arab garments like the abaya and spotlights women in the region who work in various creative sectors. It features interviews with a number of professionals including Vogue Arabia’s ex editor-in-chief, Saudi princess Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz, who explains that the Middle East is full of independent women who indulge in haute couture and commercial fashion. “Many Arab women are big connoisseurs of fashion but they’re very private so nobody really knows their story or sees them,” she says on-screen. “I feel it’s part of my job to bridge that and to show what this woman can be. Not all women are cloaked in long veils where you don’t see anything. These women dress very beautifully, they’re very sophisticated.” Similarly, Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO of Doha Institute – a company that supports budding Arab filmmakers – highlights that 20 per cent of independent cinema in the Middle East is made by women compared to just nine per cent in the US. The film is full of powerful moments like this, where women who have spent their lives being misjudged and misrepresented by tainted international mainstream media, are given space to speak their truth.
From the Other Side of the Veil comes at a time where tensions are high in Khelfa’s home country of France, following the French government’s attempt to ban girls under the age of 18 from wearing the hijab in public. The bill, which made headlines in April, led to the viral #HandsOffMyHijab protests around the world, reinforcing the Islamophobic notions Khelfa’s film aims to diminish, particularly regarding the appearance of Muslim women. “The most important thing for me was to show reality,” she explains. “Women are so important in the Middle East, I believe they are the future and will be leading the region soon. So many of them are business owners and CEOs who have graduated from Harvard, Stanford and all the best universities in the world. They’re not victims like we’re constantly told they are. They’re fighters who are comfortable expressing themselves. Seeing them as victims is a colonial point of view.”
As a Muslim woman who has spent her life in the western world, Khelfa has consistently experienced this narrative throughout her life. Her hope is to utilise her platform for change through insightful projects like this that amplify the voices we so rarely hear. “I would love for anyone who watches this to see and understand a new perspective,” she says. “If you forget the stereotypes and think for yourself, you might just feel differently. Women in the Middle East are just like other women around the world, we’re all fighting for our rights.”
From the Other Side of the Veil is out in July via YouTube.