NEW YORK - WE JUST WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT A PRETTY LITTLE VIDEO AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED

Usama Alshaibi’s known for stirring up serious political shit with a pervo swizzle stick; his last completed feature, Nice Bombs, in which he revisits his motherland Iraq and ends up just like the rest of the U.S.—having no conclusion, no idea really what to make of the enormous mess—pissed off a lot of people. When we stumbled on this strange, magical video that feels like some kind of haunted video feedback loop, which he made with his wife Kristie (click below to watch it), we thought we’d found something that was just pretty great to look at, a miniature respite from his workaday leanings. But when we asked him to talk about it, that was a jack-in-the-box of worms that led to a discussion about his recent film, Profane. Seems he just can’t get away from the deep, dark stuff. Not that we want him to. Here, he’ll explain it all in his own words, but don't click any further unless you're a grown-up.

Here's the video that sparked it all. This is a slow burn (oh shit, that was a pun, oh well), so stick around for 1:38:

Signal Cross Over from Usama Alshaibi on Vimeo.

When I was a boy in Saudi Arabia I started praying five times a day and going to mosque. I guess I had a high regard for the Quran and yes, I believed in all of it. I really got into being a Muslim, much more than my own family. Later, when I discovered LSD and different ideas I was not so religious anymore. But I always had this feeling that something was not right about the whole deal with Islam and all the Abrahamic religions. After my brother died in 2006, I really became disillusioned with religion in general.

As I look at the Quran now all this stuff with Satan and the devil and Jinns becomes more of metaphor for good, evil, sex, and profanity. And this film Profane (that's a still from it above) is my crisis I suppose. I had a nervous breakdown in the middle of production and we were plagued by a nasty flu virus infecting everyone and shutting down production for several days. All the BDSM in the film is real with true masochists and sadists. I had Muslims work on the film and we would assist the actor, Manal Kara, on how to pray properly. Although Manal is Arab and grew up in a Muslim country, her parents are Atheists and she knew very little about Islam.

With Profane, I wanted to link this idea of submission to something that is not you, something higher or stronger. The very word “Islam” means submission and “Muslim” means one who submits. So I found this very interesting in that the main character, Muna, plays a pro-Domme, who has slaves submit to her, but she submits in prayer to Allah.

I've always really been into religion and I'm especially interested in Pre-Islamic and Islamic mystical imagery and stories. But I do consider myself an Atheist, although I really don't like that word since it is a negation of something. I'm even questioning our notion of movement, time, the present, past, and future, and how to access all of it without this prescribed narrative in front of us.

So all of this stuff was in my head when I wrote Profane. This film kind of scares me because of its content and that shit that happened to Rushdie and VanGogh from Amsterdam. I want to say that it will not happen to me but I'm not sure. I lost my job during the end of the production of this film, but I am still shooting and editing. It's the only thing I have now and I protect it like a sick child.

But backing up, I started a project much earlier than this (which is still unfinished, ongoing) called Baghdad, Iowa. It was the seed that provoked me to write Profane. This was closer to addressing my brother's death and I had to let go of it for a while since it got too difficult emotionally to work on. But you can watch some of it here.

USAMA ALSHAIBI

Comments

[heavy]

I suddenly feel like I put on 600 pounds of emotional weight

[sid]

that flaming shit just tripped me the fuck out. too much coffee, not enough food today.

[JEB]

Great stuff. When, and where, does "Profane" premier?

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[el ess dee]

whoaaa that was better than the end of 2001

[nice]

watch "spoiled" on his vimeo site.

[Ryan]

hmm..does what art does. Made me pissed off, made me sad, exited amongst other things. Not too much joy though. We get spoon fed enough of that though. Reminded me of Jim Morrison's poems a bit with the loose associations and whatnot.

hmmm...cool

[Mike Everleth]

I only became seriously acquainted with Alshaibi's work this year. Some of his best Vimeo videos got taken down for being "profane," I suppose. But hunt them down on other sites: "The Foreigner" and "Convulsion Expulsion" are just brilliant. His work is certainly disturbingly original. I'm very excited to see "Profane."

[OBSL33t]

'Signal Cross Over' reminded me profoundly of my last good DMT trip. Interesting stuff. The video, and the DMT.

[atlasmalika]

manal didn't grow up in a Muslim country. She was born in the us and grow up in the us. she visited many countries around the world...

[me]

how can u ppl insulte islam like that

[Atlas]

go get a life , get a job! trying to get inspired from VAngogh however, you fail guys , sorry and actually the girl oh my gosh so ugly aint have a camera visage! , as a producer u have to look for the beauty that attracts the public and gives hommage to your details ,
hit me up if you need help i got u man ,
Atlas.

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[Muslim]

One must know that life on earth is not eternal and that each of us will one day, be alone with his Lord so much so that he'll think he is the only creature Allah(swt) has created.

[rape stories]

Manal Kara is a good actor, and I support her.

[abdoul]

you've all came to look at these tits haven't you

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[lovegra]

What a motivated man….u almost made me think on that topic. I must say your knowledge on the topic is vast…the insight you have provided is simply unique, never heard of before. I would like to applaud you on the amazing work you have done…Thnx!!!

[Pidot]

fucking christian

[Alia]

Ask Allah to forgive you. You will find comfort and peace when you know the real Islam. Surrendering to your creator is better than surrendering to your finite life lusts.

[mahmoud]

fuck u
Allah will Burn u in hell
u r infidel
how can u take put a Hooker with a holy book .

[Manal Kara]

Hey Shut Up Mahmoud I Am Perfect Let Allah Forgiveness Ask I will Ask For Forgiveness Inshallah Or Maybee Not Sooo Yeah Let Him Burn Me I Had Sex With A Boy Naked Sitting On The Quran Sooo Yeah

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[LOL]

LOL @ manal kara - whatever.

No need to assume someone else's name.

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