Arab TV series spoofs US occupation

Egyptian actors Hisham Selim and Syrian Bassem Yakhour join forces on screen to depose a fictitious dictator of an Arab country called “Karbestan”.

According to the story line of the TV series -- called Zel Al-Mohareb (Shadow of the Fighter) -- an agreement is signed to give the West full hegemony over Karbestan, which gives rise to liberation movements, Yakhour told AlArabiya.net.

"The series will make it clear that any resemblance between its characters and real people is intentional," he said.

According to Yakhour, Karbestan is an imaginary country that serves as a microcosm of Arab and Third World countries. Karb, he clarified, means 'calamity' in Arabic and thus it is meant to be 'The Land of Calamities,' according to his personal understanding of the name.

"The series sheds light on the people's struggle for democracy and tackles Third World revolutions that topple despotic regimes then repeat their very same mistakes," he said.

The series also focuses on foreign intervention in local revolutions, and within this context prominent American politicians, like former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, are featured.

Director of the series, Egyptian Nader Galal, told AlArabiya.net from the casting location in Syria that they do not mean to focus on a specific leader, but rather on an entire regime and internal rifts within the country.

"Although the series reflects what is actually happening in the Arab world, characters are not based on real life people, with the exception of Rumsfeld and Rice, who stand for the role played by external powers."

In the show, Yakhour is a violent militia leader, who believes in crushing any resistance to his revolution or anyone who disagrees with him: "Bloody rebellion is the key to victory for him."

Political and military disputes ensue between him and the other militia leader, played by Selim.

Galal also pointed out that the series, despite having many battles, is not at all bloody, so anyone can watch it.

Filming has already started in the Syrian cities of Homs and Latakia. The crew will move later to Damascus, but indoor scenes will be shot in Egypt.


(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid).