Nobody should object to the making of films on the ongoing traumas of the 21st century ”“ and some docudramas have been nuanced and even poetic. The Hamburg Cell stands out. Written by Ronan Bennett and directed by Antonia Bird, it is an exploratory journey into the heads of three of the 9/11 bombers. Impressive too was Peter Kosminsky’s Britz (Channel 4), about two highly educated British Muslim siblings, a brother and sister, and how anti-terrorist legislation devastates them. The problem is, there is almost nothing else. When the IRA were terrorising the UK, Irish characters and storylines weren’t restricted to that one political conflict to the exclusion of all else.
Where is the soulful, female Muslim singer, the wily, kebab millionaire, the two-timing Pakistani cricketer, the Arab heartthrob? They do all exist, but these roles are not written into scripts. The industry does not admit or nurture Muslim talent either ”“ writers, actors, directors, producers, editors ”“ and cannot see them as worthy professionals.
Perhaps the fact that Islam forbids music (an indictment in itself of Islam) has much to do with it. Likely Islam by extension also forbids Muslims from acting. And “allah” forbid a film depict anything that might provoke a fatwah.
Milton, #1, it is only a very severe strain of Islam which forbids music. Dervishes dancing would be surprised. The almost entirely Muslim Egyptian Arabic music and film industry would be astounded at the idea that music and acting are prohibited.
I think the absence of ordinary Muslim characters in Western film, especially any character who might be viewed as negative, is rather fear of being labeled “Islamophobic” and fear of violence. There are plenty of negative characters in Egyptian films.
Intentional or unintentional, persons who are minorities who are in movies very often end up being iconic, representing a group of people, rather than a single individual. Thus, to ever have a person who is some minority play a flawed or negative character not uncommonly provokes race/gender/ethinicity/religion/sexual-identity/etc. rage from other members of those groups. Therefore, while I think the author’s point is good (and could be extended to a large cohort of other religions and groups), I think the industry perceives the safest people to play negative roles are white, Christian, heterosexual men, with women of the same characteristics playing a close (but not equal) second. (Disclaimer: I am a white, Christian, heterosexual man, so I probably have some bias in my perception here.) Historically, of course, blacks, Muslims, Buddhists, Native Americans and others have routinely played roles limited to negative stereotypes – I don’t think that is nearly as common today as in the past, though maybe it simply doesn’t register on my radar.
Well, actually, I think the depiction of Christians as a primary character in the movies (rather than used in a generally negative stereotype cameo role similar to ethnic minorities) has been virtually zero in the past 30 or 40 years. I’m having a hard time thinking of any movies off the top of my head. “Chariots of Fire” (Eric Liddell) would be one. “A Walk to Remember” (Jamie Sullivan) would be a second. But I’m having a hard time thinking of other movies where a primary character is portrayed as a believing Christian.
Between movies and TV episodes that regularly exploit the use of Irish (as in IRA) and Italian names (as in Mafia) –or super blonde Germanic types (as in Nazi) or Anglos (as in rapacious business tycoons) for their archvillains–Moslems should consider themselves lucky that they are ignored. If it weren’t for the fear of being called “Islamophobe” or being the victim of “fatwa” violence, considering the widespread Islamic terrorist violence, Moslems should be the new class of media archvillains. But they clearly aren’t treated as the groups I named above. Is it fear?? Or not wanting to be “insensitive”???? I fear it is the fear and that the media has just become adept at putting a good face on cowardice.
One of the best movies I’ve seen in the past few years was The Kite Runner. If y’all haven’t seen it, do. (It’s on Netflix streaming or DVD.) It’s a move about two Muslim boys growing up in Afghanistan. The movie studio had to take one of the young actors and his family into their protection because threats were made against his life by the Muslim community, due to a scene in the movie. (nothing explicit, no swearing, no nudity.) I think this might have something to do with why there aren’t many shows/movies featuring Muslims.
My wife and I saw “Today’s Special” just last Saturday, a charming independent film well worth watching. The main character is a second-generation Indian American Muslim man, and Islam – or at least daily Muslim piety – plays some part in the film, which is centered around the man’s place in his family and the world vis-á-vis his father’s Tandoori restaurant in New York City.
6, one of the actresses who played one of the Patil twins in the Harry Potter movies was Muslim and was also similarly threatened.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/harry-potter/7865469/Harry-Potter-actress-who-played-Padma-Patil-threatened-by-family.html
and
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/harry-potter/7865469/Harry-Potter-actress-who-played-Padma-Patil-threatened-by-family.html
It appears she wanted out of an arranged marriage and wanted to marry a Hindu.
Islam needs a better agent.