The Challenge Film Difficulty Ranking: 4
What would you do if you do if you had all the money in the world? Well, this film might give you a few ideas. These Qatari Sheiks have all the money in the world and are not afraid to spend it. Plus, more amazingly, director Yuri Ancarani has somehow got complete access to their lives. So this is your chance to see what some of the richest people do in their free time. You can watch it now with a free trial on Mubi (via Amazon).
Why Watch the Challenge?
- To gain exclusive access to the lives of Qatari Sheiks
- If you like slow artistic films – this one has a lot of arty long shots and beautifully rich (pun intended) cinematography
- To see if you can spot the 2001: A Space Odyssey reference. Hint: there’s a big black block in the middle of the desert signalling the evolution/height of mankind
- Or simply to see what weird things you can buy with big money
The Breakdown
The Challenge starts intimately with a montage of close up shots of a few Sheiks. Each one of them is looking upwards with excitement in their eyes, not dissimilar to the eyes of an inquisitive child. Ancarani then cuts to what they’re looking at; a big warehouse full of birds of prey flying around. Then it’s your turn to feel surprised as you’re treated to a full 5 minute shot of this peculiar warehouse. Welcome to the life of the richest Sheiks of Qatar.
First you’ll be amazed by the weird things these rich Sheiks own. One Sheikh hops into a Lamborghini with his pet Cheetah sitting in the front seat on a leash. Then you’ll meet a group of Sheiks motorbiking through the desert on golden Harley Davidsons. Or maybe you’ll be surprised by a mass of 4 wheel drives speeding across sand dunes like surf boarders. It’s not a world that you’ll be used to (unless you’re a rich Qatari yourself) and the vibrant cinematography enhances the opulence.
However, as the film progresses, there’s one emotion that seems consistent with all the wealthy sheiks on screen. They all seem to be fighting boredom. This is even more noticeable with the complete absence of dialogue. As even though they take part in all these different activities, it still appears that it’s not interesting enough to talk about. There’s one particular scene where this is particularly obvious. There’s one Sheikh who’s on his knees in the middle of a room tending to a bird of prey and surrounding him are a load of Sheiks sitting slumped on cushions around the edge of the room. None of them look interested in the guy in the middle of the room. But none of them also look like they can be bothered to move to try and find something else to do. Does too much money equal boredom?
Conclusion and What to Watch Next
Whilst you may be put off by some of the long shots and sudden movements of the ‘bird cams’ you should be able to appreciate the cinematography of the film. The vibrant colours and sunsets caught on film only add to the opulent lifestyle that will be so foreign to many of us.
If you’re looking for a more political Middle Eastern film, I recommend checking out Ajami or Sandstorm from Palestine and Israel.
However, if you’re looking for more opulence, you should check out the Academy Award winner, The Great Beauty (Amazon rental) from Italy.