Said, who was born in 1935, is a perfect protagonist for this narrative, having lived through all the milestones of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Born in Jerusalem when it was part of the British Mandate of Palestine, he studied, worked and lived in the United States for most of his life, also spending many years in Egypt and in Lebanon. He was deep in the relevant cultural and geographical milieu when the events in question were transpiring, and the film thus benefits from his strong and unique insight.
“Edward Said : Between Worlds” is exactly what you might expect of a documentary taking on such a renowned and respected intellectual. But that not make it less powerful. It’s a necessary document, arriving at the right time — when the culture in general is questioning the jaundiced eyes that have viewed Eastern cultures for centuries. If Baird’s film gets just a few people to pick up “Orientalism,” it will have achieved its goal.
