Two Pictures a Day in Amman

Eighth week
Partager Tweeter Linked Réagir

par Gilles Porte -  La Lettre AFC n°245

[ English ] [ français ]

Gilles Porte, AFC, and Samuel Lahu, his Assistant Cameraman, are currently shooting in Jordan. They have agreed to send us two images extracted from the daily photographic journal they are keeping during the shooting of the film 3000 Nights, directed by Mai Masri. Have a look at their eighth week of work.
Solitude de l'accessoiriste... - Il ne s'agit pas d'un soldat égaré mais bien d'Anas, notre nouvel accessoiriste - à l'aube - après une scène de combat de nuit entre prisonnières palestiniennes et soldats israéliens... <i>(Gilles, mercredi 16 juillet)</i>
Solitude of the prop man...
This is not a lost soldier, but rather Anas, our new props master – at sunrise – before a night-time combat scene between Palestinian prisoners and Israeli soldiers… (Gilles, July Wednesday 16)


Zarqa. Maisa et Hana avant le clap - Maisa et Hana se concentrent, quelques secondes avant le clap. A l'autre bout du couloir les attendent des fumigènes, une douzaine de soldats armés de matraques et une vingtaine de figurantes prisonnières surexcitées, pour une scène d'émeute. Cela fait 3 heures qu'on met en place ce plan, Hana terminera la prise en larmes. <i>(Samuel, mercredi 16 juillet)</i>
Zarqa. Maisa and Hana before the clap
Maisa et Hana deep in concentration, just a few seconds before the clap. At the other end of the hallway smoke machines, a dozen soldiers armed with batons and about twenty over excited female prisoner extras are waiting for them for a riot scene. We’ve been setting this scene up for three hours, Hana will close the scene in tears. (Samuel, July Wednesday 16)


Jour off 1 : désert de Wadi Rum... - Je ne sais pas si Fares (6) sera musicien mais Ali (14), son frère, est déjà un grand artiste ! <i>(Gilles, jeudi 17 juillet)</i>
Day off 1 : Wadi Rum Desert...
I do not know whether Fares (6) will be a musician but Ali (14), his brother, is already a great artist ! (Gilles, July Thursday 17)


Amman. Jour off - Retour au square de Paris sur la colline de Weibdeh où se trouve notre appartement. <i>(Samuel, jeudi 17 juillet)</i>
Amman. Day off
Return to the “Square de Paris” on Weibdeh Hill, where our apartment is located. (Samuel, July Thursday 17)


Jour off : désert de Wadi Rum... - No comment... <i>(Gilles, vendredi 17 juillet)</i>
Day off : Wadi Rum Desert...
No comment... (Gilles, July Friday 18)


Amman. Jour off, et de lessive... - Jour off, jour de lessive, je regarde le linge sécher en repensant à la semaine passée. <i>(Samuel, vendredi 18 juillet)</i>
Amman. Day off, and laundry day...
Day off, laundry day, I’m watching the clothes dry as I reflect upon the past week. (Samuel, July Friday 18)


Samuel dans le rayon... - Il est 15h15'... Désormais Samuel et moi connaissons, à la minute près, l'incidence de la lumière naturelle dans chaque centimètre carré de la section 32 de notre prison... <i>(Gilles, samedi 19 juillet)</i>
Samuel in the beam...
It is 3:15 p.m… Samuel and I now know the precise location of natural light at any given minute in each square centimetre of section 32 of our prison… (Gilles, July Saturday 19)


Zarqa. Maisa et Farid - Décor de l'infirmerie, Maisa et Farid. Désormais, la doublure de l'enfant est un ours. La scène, grave et intime, devient un peu bizarre vue du côté. <i>(Samuel, samedi 19 juillet)</i>
Zarqa. Maisa and Farid
Infirmary set, Maisa and Farid. From now on, the child’s double is a bear. The scene, serious and intimate, is becoming a bit bizarre when seen from the side. (Samuel, July Saturday 19)


Nada, 2<sup class="typo_exposants">e</sup> assistante réalisatrice... - " A l'américaine ", Nada, ne vient jamais sur le plateau mais gère un plan de travail de plus en plus délicat... Le contenu des feuilles de service change régulièrement le matin même de nos journées avec, pour conséquence des coups de téléphone à 6h du mat aux comédiens pour leur demander de venir alors qu'ils n'étaient pas prévus... Je retrouve tous les jours Nada pour le " lunch break " avec des grimaces qui anticipent (ou concluent) nos échanges... <i>iPhone (Gilles, dimanche 20 juillet)</i>
Nada, 2d assistant director...
“American Style”, Nada never sets foot on set but is managing a shooting schedule that is becoming ever more complicated… The contents of our call sheets change in the early morning as we begin our days, meaning that we have to call actors at 6 a.m. to ask them to come even though they weren’t scheduled… I meet Nada every day during the lunch break with grimaces that anticipate (or conclude) of our discussions… iPhone (Gilles, July Sunday 20)


Zarqa. Loge HMC - Loge habillage-maquillage-coiffure. Laura, Bill le nouveau coiffeur, et Maisa sous le regard bienveillant de l'ex roi Hussein. <i>(Samuel, dimanche 20 juillet)</i>
DMH room
Dressing-Make-up-Hair room. Laura, Bill the new hairdresser, and Maisa under the watchful eye of former king Hussein. (Samuel, July Sunday 20)


Tatouage... - Hannah a 21 ans quand elle interprète le rôle de Fida, prisonnière palestinienne, après de sa mère Mai... Elle en avait 18 lorsqu'elle a choisi de se faire tatouer... Dans <i>3000 Nights</i>, Fida montrera fièrement son tatouage à Layal... <i>(Gilles, lundi 21 juillet)</i>
Tattoo...
Hannah is 21 years old and is playing the role of Fida, a Palestinian prisoner, in her mother, Mai’s film… She was 18 years old when she chose to get a tattoo… In 3000 Nights, Fida will proudly show off her tattoo to Layal… (Gilles, July Monday 21)


Zarqa. Infirmerie - Troisième jour d'infirmerie. " Party girl ", Faadi et Maisa. <i>(Samuel, lundi 21 juillet)</i>
Zarqa. Infirmary set
Third infirmary day. “Party girl”, Faadi and Maisa. (Samuel, July Monday 21)


Ext. prison gates. Day - <strong> <i>153. Ext. prison gates. Day<br class='manualbr' />Five years later, the prison doors slowly open. Layal stands behind them, carrying a bag.<br class='manualbr' />She looks much older, but the spirit is still strong in her, intact, unbeaten.</i><br class='manualbr' />Jour J pour Layal...<br class='manualbr' />J-3 de notre sortie officielle de prison...<br class='manualbr' />J-4 de la fin du film :</strong> dimanche 27 juillet - dernier jour de tournage - je serai dans la voiture de Layal sur une petite route... barrée par un check point !<br class='manualbr' />Combien de jours encore pour que ne cesse un blocus condamné par la communauté internationale depuis 7 ans ?<br class='manualbr' />Combien de jours encore pour que des passerelles et des ponts remplacent un mur condamné par l'assemblée générale des Nations-Unies et la Cour internationale de Justice depuis le 21 octobre 2003 ? <i>iPhone (Gilles, mardi 22 juillet)</i>
153. Ext. prison gates. Day
153. Ext. prison gates. Day
Five years later, the prison doors slowly open. Layal stands behind them, carrying a bag.
She looks much older, but the spirit is still strong in her, intact, unbeaten.
D-Day for Layal...
3 days until our official release from prison...
4 days until the end of the film : Sunday, 27 July – last day of shooting – I will be in Layal’s car on a little road … blocked by a check point !
How many days left until the end of this blockade, which has been condemned by the international community for 7 years now ?
How many days left until pathways and bridges replace a wall that has been condemned by the General Assembly of the United Nations and the International Court of Justice since 21 October 2003 ? iPhone (Gilles, July Tuesday 22)


Zarqa. Scène de fin - On a un travelling et une Panther pour l'occasion ! C'est seulement la deuxième fois du tournage. <i>(Samuel, mardi 22 juillet)</i>
Zarqa. Last scene
We have a travelling shot and a Panther for the occasion ! It’s only the second time during the entire project. (Samuel, July Tuesday 22)

(Translated from French by Alex Raiffe)


  • Have a look at the pictures taken by Gilles and Samuel during their seventh week
  • Have a look at the pictures taken by Gilles and Samuel during their sixth week
  • Have a look at the pictures taken by Gilles and Samuel during their fifth week
  • Have a look at the pictures taken by Gilles and Samuel during their fourth week
  • Have a look at the pictures taken by Gilles and Samuel during their third week
  • Have a look at the pictures taken by Gilles and Samuel during their second week
  • Have a look at the pictures taken by Gilles and Samuel during their first week