Muslim Film Festival Opens Window on Muslim World in U.S. and Abroad
Pacific News Service, News Feature, Mary Jo McConahay, Posted: Mar 14, 2004
Young Iranian boys run atop oil pipelines for miles through a stony landscape to school, while their impoverished mothers sneak the valuable black liquid from hidden pools to sell for a few pennies in town. A New Jersey English high school teacher wearing hijab makes the links between hip-hop – “rhyme,” “a beat” -- and the medieval Canterbury Tales to spark interest in her class of low-achievers, then answers questions after school for a curious boy about fasting during Ramadan.
Another American-born Muslim, a pediatrician, wears charming stuffed toys on his stethoscope to alleviate fear of strangers for the children he examines, while he recounts the story of being singled out by jittery hospital guards for identity check as he left the hospital on Sept. 11, 2001.
These are scenes from two of the films, “Oil Children,” and “Born in the USA,” among more than a dozen being featured at the Muslim Film Festival March 13 at U.C. Berkeley, and April 24 at Santa Clara University.
“This is a significant milestone in the history of Muslim media arts,” Festival Director Juveria Aleem told Ras H. Siddiqui of Pakistan Link. “We will be featuring great films which capture a mosaic of the Muslim issues and perspectives.”
No single festival can draw the face of 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide, including 7 million in the United States -- but these documentaries and features by independent American and international filmmakers open a wide window through which to view the Muslim world. The Iran of “Oil Children,” for instance, with its portrait of a feisty boy, and of his bold mother who struggles against giving up her daughter to pay a debt incurred by her husband –laboring for the family in Kuwait – is not the human face presented of Iran in the headlines of daily newspapers. And the parade of young, articulate U.S.-born professionals in “Born in the U.S.A.” should be shown in every school, and to every know-nothing who has ever told a Muslim American to “go home.”
Check out the festival website for details about the all-day events: Muslim Film Festival or call (408) 509-7965 for more information.
NCM Coverage: Arts & Culture
Page
1 of 1
|
User Comments
Shane Elahi on Mar 14, 2004 at 11:31:24 said:
In this present emotional period where the emotion is all againt the ISLAM, why does not the Muslim Film community unite in an effort to remake the 70's movie "The Message" which will obviously reach the majority in an entertaining manner not in a manner to SIT and WATCH rather come, enjoy, see and learn. This is something all should actively think to address the thirst of the majority that gets divided in to 2 groups ( against / for ) depending what their source of information is. This movie I believe will give them the basis to understand and realize the information they will be getting from anywhere.
-->