Ancillary 7
Thesis:
While many claim that 365 days translated well to the UAE because of its erotic sexual scenes and a handsome male lead, I claim that the critique of the lack of Emirati women’s freedom- embodied in the symbol of the kidnapping of female protagonist Laura and her subservient characterization-was missed by many here.
My main perspective so far on why 365 days has translated well across borders is because it advocates for sexual objectification of women, as well as dominant relationships and their overall loss of freedom because of it. This subject is very prevalent among Emirati culture. Emirati women may feel they resonate with Laura’s character, the protagonist of the film, who is captured. Emirati women must somewhat also feel kidnapped as they are forced to accept arranged marriages, in hope to fall in love with partners they haven’t chosen nor slept with prior. The structure of a marriage is well decided for by Emirati culture, where the woman is expected to be subservient to her husband and she is to remain home as a house wife. Whilst, the husband is expected to work and is the dominant male figure of the house wife. The woman is expected to adhere to all of her husbands needs, whether it be cooking or sexually. In the film, as time passes, Laura uptakes this role of subservient partner, whereas Massimo the dominant mafia man continuously asserts his dominance over her both financially and sexually.
365 days uses lavish shopping sprees, yacht voyages, and fine dining as distractions that seemingly work to seduce Laura. Williams cautions viewers against using the movie to romanticize bad behavior in their own relationships. “It just does not erase the fact that this lady is being kidnapped,” Williams says. The UAE is known for its abundantly wealthy culture. Women are used to being spoiled by their father and then by their husbands. Similarly, Emirati women are seduced the same way, with million dollar weddings, honeymoons in Paris and unlimited shopping sprees. Emirati husbands do it to make up for the fact they haven’t been allowed the privilege to fall in love, let alone get to know the girl. They feel seduction through money is the best way to capture their wives hearts, just as Williams mentions, however it does not disregard the fact that they have been coerced and forced into marriage for all reasons but love.
The title “365 days” is also a symbol in itself, as the antagonist allows Laura an allotted time frame to fall in love with him, the symbol represents a similar time frame in the marriage journey of an Emirati couple. Like Massimmo and Laura, the Emirati pair are strangers to each other, yet are living together. In a sense, an Emirati woman’s first year of marriage is always her deciding fate of whether she’s been lucky with this man or she has been cursed to spend the rest of our lives with this man. Like Laura, the Emirati woman resists at first, but then temptation allows for otherwise.
