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Poet Against Prejudice (27 min) US/Yemen |
[watch trailer] |
Director: Faiza Almontaser
Producer: Albert Maysles, Elizabeth Hummer
Description:
Faiza Almontaser is a 17-year-old senior attending the Brooklyn International High School. In 2006 Faiza immigrated with her family to Brooklyn, NY from a small farming town in Yemen. Raised as a religious Muslim, she often struggles to reconcile her cultural background with the realities she meets as a high school student in one of New York City's most socially dynamic neighborhoods. She faced vicious bullying because of her Islamic identity. Mentored by the legendary pioneer of direct cinema, Albert Maysles, Faiza shows us her courageous and inspiring journey from victim to activist.
Faiza Almontaser immigrated with her family to Brooklyn, NY from a small farming town in Yemen. Raised as a religious Muslim, she often struggles to reconcile her cultural background with the realities she meets as a high school student in one of New York City's most socially dynamic neighborhoods. Under the mentorship of the award-winning filmmaker Albert Maysles, Faiza presents a strong voice to the quieted strife of immigrant children throughout the United States. As the first American BYkids youth filmmaker, her personal narrative takes this film to the heart of issues that are cleaving social integration and international understanding in a post 9/11 world.
Albert Maysles: In addition to his active role on the Board of BYKids and his deep commitment to starting BYkids, Albert served as a film mentor to a New York City youth of Muslim background whose story sheds light on the issue of identity and faith in America today. Among the world’s pre-eminent documentary filmmakers and the dean of American documentary filmmaking, Albert is recognized as the pioneer of “direct cinema,” the distinctly American version of French “cinema verité.” His films include Salesman, Gimme Shelter, Grey Gardens and Oscar-nominated LaLee’s Kin: The Legacy of Cotton.
Contact Information:
e: holly@bykids.org
w: www.bykids.org/unitedstates.php
