One of the most controversial issues in human history may be the problem of racism. The most common form of this problem is the version based on skin color discrimination, which persists even today. One of the countless heroes in history who fought against the disadvantages of this problem is Bilal, who was born in 580. From a simple slave, his fight for the values he embraced and the religion he believed in is known as a great success story. Because of his courageous behavior and passionate faith, his life story has been brought to the silver screen by many directors. “Bilal: A New Breed of Hero” is one of them.
What is the movie about?
The movie depicts the life of Bilal, a man of African descent living in Mecca during the time of the Prophet Muhammad, and his struggle for freedom. Among the characters are Abu Bakr, Hamza, Umayya, and Safwan, who were important figures of Mecca at that time. In the movie, Bilal, his sister, and his mother live in the land of Abyssinia, now known as Ethiopia, where they are attacked by evil men at a young age and lose their mother. He and his sister were captured by these evil men and brought to Mecca, the commercial center of the Arabian deserts, and sold as slaves to Umayya, one of the city’s the person of rank. Bilal, who had not yet been born into Islam and had not yet met the Prophet Muhammad, began his quest to make sense of life at an early age. Bilal, who shows resistance against the traditions of Mecca and the ignorant customs of its people at the time, is tested under difficult circumstances and ultimately struggles to gain his freedom. Islamic history and religious motifs are not elaborated in detail, focusing instead on Bilal’s quest for freedom and inner peace. In a time of injustice, Abu Bakr helps Bilal to follow his heart and supports him, while Hamza, with his brave character, teaches him combat techniques.
A Pleasurable Animation
The work meets movie lovers in the animation category. In light of the latest technological developments, it can be said that visual and graphic design techniques have been carefully applied to the movie. The facial features of the characters are transferred to the work using a very clear and sharp drawing technique, similar to real life. It can be said that the successful result offers a pleasant visual feast to the viewers. The film is produced by a production company based in the Arab Emirates.
“Witness the birth of courage when injustice ruled 1400 years ago.”
About the Criticism and Message of the Movie
When we think about the quest for freedom in the United States during the 1960s and the recent “Black Lives Matter” events, this movie and the character’s journey are of great interest to movie lovers. The sacrifices made to gain freedom of thought, action, and belief are a lesson for us, the people of the 21st century. Especially in cases where wrong behaviors that are ingrained in society are accepted as tradition and insisted upon as if they are absolutely necessary, we, like Bilal, can question events and people with courage. If we can act in this way, we can feel mentally light and free. On the other hand, this film reminds us once again that Islam has been addressing all human beings from the very beginning, regardless of religion, language, race, or color.
Although the people of Mecca at the time discriminated against and mistreated people based on their skin color, Abu Bakr, one of the most important merchants of the city, and the brave Hamza, the best swordsman of the time, took a personal interest in Bilal and stood by him in his quest for freedom. However, there is an important point to underline here. The faces of Hamza and Abu Bakr are clearly depicted in the movie. It is not possible to see the images of these important companions of Islam in many religious movies. On the other hand, Bilal’s ability to act by putting his own values at the forefront and to strengthen and increase his will is successfully transferred to the movie. Especially the sociological approach of the society living at that time towards black people and slaves can be clearly seen. When we take all this into consideration,
- “The Voice of Freedom: Bilal”
can be recommended as a film to be added to movie lists. The original website can be found here. “Bilal Movie“
