|
$9.95 |
|
$1.95 |
|
$5.95 |
The identity of a young Muslim girl named Aminah is challenged when a ban on headscarves in France forces her to choose between her faith and her country.
Aminah is a young Muslim girl living in France. Aminah's life is turned upside down when France announces a ban on the wearing of Muslim headscarves in school. Aminah first seeks the advice of a local imam named Youseff. The imam tells Aminah to keep her headscarf on. Youseff tells Aminah her friends will drop out on account of the ban. The imam suggests Aminah leave school and find a private tutor. Aminah tries a compromise by wearing a beret instead. The school rejects it. The imam and Aminah's father confront the school. Despite a meeting with the school principal nothing can be done about the ban on headscarves. Until Aminah decides to take matters into her own hands leading to the film's shocking conclusion.
- Directed by Kris Kato
- Written by Kris Kato
- Produced by Kris Kato
- Running Time 17 min
- Release Date 2007
-
Country
United States of America
- Content Rating Intended Audience: mature
- Website Foulard
-
-
-
Written by Kris Kato
Produced by Kris Kato
Cast Azalee Dan:
Maxime Alvarez de Toledo:
Jessy Chenal:
Allel Haimiche:
Samantha Grassian:
Albert Oh:
Tim Korn:
Kris Kato:
Eric Strahl:
Ryan Feltner:
Elina Loukas:
Ashley Denton:
Tyler Schwanke:
Ben Young:
Lilly Kato:
John Cathey:
Claude Kerven:
Khalid Latif:
Olivier Berthe:
Clermont Ferrand Film Market (France)
New York Short Film Festival
I took the screenplay I had written in English and had it translated into French through contacts at Alliance Francaise in New York. I consulted French language and Islamic scholars respectively at New York University. At first it was difficult to find actors in New York who could act and speak French without an American accent. I found actors and we managed to have two weeks rehearsal. The film was shot in New York with the idea of keeping everything in French, anything American out of the frame and adding shots of France later to give the illusion of being there. I chose to use the more affordable camera at school the Panasonic DVX. This enabled me to spend money on hiring a professional sound recordist. We shot everything in five days. This was my thesis film for New York Film Academy.
Thank you for watching my movie. This is a film about a young Muslim girl living in France. I don't speak French, I'm not a Muslim and I had never been to Europe before. However I was interested in comparing and contrasting the quality of life for Muslims living in the United States as opposed to Europe. I didn't see a lot of Muslims growing up in Hawai'i. After to moving to a post-9/11 New York City I found it fascinating to see so many Muslims around. The headscarf or the hijab was a very powerful image for me to see. In doing this film I was able to learn more about the headscarf. This film asks individuals and societies important questions. What is identity? How far will we go to preserve and protect that identity in an increasingly globalized world? What happens to the past as we look to the future?
