SAN FRANCISCO, California: For many Muslim Americans, the mainstream presentation of their diverse voices seems lost in a vacuum dominated by simplistic stereotypes depicting them as fundamentalists or perpetual suspects. Thankfully, Link TV has provided this group with a multicultural platform to creatively showcase their voice in their annual “Link TV: One Nation, Many Voices Muslim American Film Competition.
The contest received more than 100 submissions for the five different categories reflecting the gamut of sentiments and emotions reflective of the unique Muslim American experience – one that has been forever altered since the 9/11 tragedy.
Nabil Abou-Harb, a 24-year-old from Georgia, won the grand prize of “Best Overall Video and $20,000 for his contribution to “The American Muslim Life category: Arab in America. The five-minute video was a satirical, bittersweet yet ultimately optimistic depiction of Arabs having to “whitewash their identity to blend in and avoid harassment. The Arab protagonist changes his name to “Samuel Adam Baker in order to obtain a lucrative job, and he lies about his piquant Islamic practices to avoid “detection by his often ignorant co-workers.
As the narrator says in the begging, it is a “tale of bitterness.of being Arab in America. Although the characterisations of the non-Muslims in the piece are one-dimensional and clichéd, the movie contains a positive, affirming message of tolerance and inclusivity.
“The 60 Second Movie winner, “The Teacher, directed by Scott P. Harris, is an all too brief but inspiring portrait of Mr. Khan, a Pakistani Muslim American who has been teaching physics to overwhelmingly non-Muslim Texan students for nearly 18 years. Khan emerges as an eccentric but dedicated and beloved teacher whose unorthodox methods have helped over 90 percent of his students pass the AP Physics test. His annual toy drive and volunteer work with the Special Olympics portrays a generous, multi-dimensional portrait of Muslim Americans whose faith inspires them to contribute positively to their community.
Green Blue Sea – a winner of the “Youth Category – by filmmaker Rolla Selbak, reminds us that green activists and scuba diving enthusiasts includes people like Muslim American Hanny Selbak whose faith inspires him to appreciate, admire and ultimately protect sea life and nature.
Safiya Songhai shows artistic flair in her black-and-white, wordless portrait of an uncommon friendship between two women of different faiths in her “Two Faiths, One Film category winner: Ladylike. The movie creatively uses striking images of a woman wearing the niqab, an outfit that covers not only the body but also the face, aiding her neighbour who is locked outside her apartment wearing only her towel. The film illustrates how charity can act as a unifying bridge of commonality between two strangers.
“Colors of Veil, a film by Jehan S. Harney that won in the “American Muslim Women category, tackles the perennial, hot button issue of the hijab, or headscarf, this time from a unique cultural lens. The focus of her story is Kimberly King, a convert to Islam and former US soldier who chooses to wear the headscarf and is initially subjected to discrimination and harassment at the workplace.
However, the five-minute glimpse into her life is anything but bitter or resentful, as she talks about her successful marriage to a Syrian Muslim American and their four children. Their commitment to one another and their happiness inspire other interracial Muslim couples in their community.
Although the movie submissions lack the sheen and polish of mainstream Hollywood productions, their insight into this often-misunderstood group of Americans is priceless. The intention behind the contest and the multitude of voices that are heard as a result should be applauded for using more than two colors to characterize the vitality of the Muslim American experience.
Wajahat Ali ([email protected]) is an attorney and a playwright, whose work, The Domestic Crusaders, was the first major play about Muslim Americans living in a post 9/11 America. These films and others can be seen at www.linktv.org/onenation/winners. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) with permission from the author.
