The Life of a Goat: The hashtag #Goat_Life was trending on social media, particularly on the “X” platform.
The film was first and foremost about lofty goals, intending to avoid arguments and potentially even hatred between people or nations. Moreover, it had the highest viewership rate in a month.
YouTube channels were busy dissecting the incident. With some have gone so far as to link the film’s production to certain intelligence agencies at odds with the Kingdom.
Others drew further connections to the memory by tying the concept to a 2016 movie starring American actor Tom Hanks. This served as a reminder of how Western cinema has attempted to portray Saudi society in an indirect attitude. To put it mildly, it ignores the authenticity, chivalry, and civilisation that distinguish this country and its people.
The Movie’s Plot, and Why Did it Make Such a Stir?
When the 2023-produced movie The Life of a Goat debuted on Netflix in March 2024, it sparked a lot of controversy. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia was the shooting location.
It is based on a story in this film that they claim is real. However, it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with reality or the truth. The film, The Life of a Goat, chronicles the 1991 abuse and exploitation of an Indian expat by his Saudi Arabian employer.
It also discusses the sponsorship system and the hardships that foreign employees in Saudi Arabia endure due to it. Experiencing cruel treatment, extortion, and treatment akin to slavery are some of these hardships.
The hashtag #Saudi_Red_Line gained traction as a result of the platforms’ outcry against Saudi Arabia’s portrayal as an oppressor and a rights-eater.
The interventions ranged from criticising the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s sponsorship programme to defending it. They characterise the case as an isolated incident with a five per cent chance of happening. There are plenty of good people in addition to a few avaricious ones.
In a post on the X Platform, Altaf, an Indian expat, wrote about his positive experiences in Saudi Arabia. He stated that the Gulf and Saudis are responsible for the area’s growth and that they owe the Saudis.
Additionally, Abdullah Al-Shuail wrote about the Ethiopian worker’s experience of becoming paralysed while living with a Saudi family. The family only agreed to support and care for the foreign woman for 19 years.
Regarding the fundamental and significant component of the sponsorship system, it in turn drew harsh criticism. We discover that Saudi Arabia eliminated it in 2022 under the auspices of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Because it is believed to be disruptive to the business environment and a barrier to luring talent.
It has become apparent that the sponsorship system bestows upon the employer extensive authority over the employee, encompassing the ability to regulate his place of living and travel.
The new system, however, has made sponsorship subject to stringent requirements and costs, affecting certain groups, most notably domestic workers. To improve the flexibility, appeal, and fairness of the working environment in Saudi Arabia.
If there’s any truth to this, the Kingdom is implementing legal changes to improve its sponsorship system, which has been in place since the 1970s. It prohibits employer-enslavement of human beings and prioritises humankind.
Thus, the interpretation and analysis campaigns surrounding the film “The Life of a Goat” aim to extrapolate specific situations to a society of millions of individuals.
However, upon revisiting the actual advancements and modifications occurring within the Kingdom, we discover that it resembles any other society. It possesses both positive and negative aspects. Let the film go back to its original purpose of presenting only constructive criticism.
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