Final 2015 Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival Event Thursday

Yes, the Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival 2015 #FilmFest #MMFilmFest is finally coming to a close this Thursday. The final showing of the final film, "The Wanted 18," airs at 7 PM at the UWM Union Theatre. As usual, UWM students get in for free. For everyone else, tickets are $6 at the door. This is a fun film and I'm so excited we were able to air it. I know I'll be there and I hope to see many of your smiling faces as well. Let's give this festival the send-off it so richly deserves.

I can't wait to see you there.

The Wanted 18 Opens Tomorrow

Tomorrow marks the first showing of "The Wanted 18." Tickets are $6 at the door and screening starts at 7pm at the Oriental Theatre. This final film in our festival series #MMFilmFest is so new that trailers were officially released only one month before the festival began!

Told through claymation, "The Wanted 18" tells the story of a group of "pacifist intellectuals and professionals" from the Palestinian West Bank that wanted local alternatives to Israeli goods, purchased 18 cows and transported them to the West Bank, and through trial and error create a dairy co-op. This act of defiance doesn't go unnoticed. After raiding the dairy, Israeli officials photograph the cattle and declare the cattle "a threat to the State of Israel."

If you can't make it to tomorrow, have no fear. The film will be showing again 7PM Thursday, April 23 at the UWM Union Theatre. UWM students receive free entrance to the Union Theatre.

Again, this is the final film in our film series. Let's make this showing the best one yet!

"The Wanted 18" Opens April 15

The final film in our first annual film festival #MMFilmFest , "The Wanted 18," is set to air April 15th at the Oriental Theatre and April 23rd at the UWM Union Theatre. "The Wanted 18" is a claymation account of a Palestinian co-op and the eighteen cattle they purchase that are then classified as enemies of the State by the Israeli government. For more information, visit the festival website at mmfilmfest.com.

Come see this adorable, thought-provoking film as we wrap up our first city-wide film festival. As usual, tickets are $6 at the door and UWM students get in free to the Union Theatre. We hope to see you all there!

"Giraffada" Opens Tomorrow

The fourth movie in the Festival lineup #MMFilmFest is "Giraffada," about one veterinarian's search for a replacement giraffe for the only remaining zoo on the Palestinian West Bank and the bond between boy and giraffe. For more information on the film, see the festival's website at mmfilmfest.com.

"Giraffada" is the only non-documentary in the series. It is set to air Thursday, April 2 at 7PM at the UWM Union Theatre and Wednesday, April 8 at the Oriental Theatre. As with previous films in the series, there will be a post-screening talkback session after each airing. Tickets are $6 at the door. UWM students get in free to the Union Theatre.

"Abd El Kader" to Air Thursday March 26th

For those of you waiting on the next film in the Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival #MMFilmFest , the next in the lineup is "Abd el Kader. It is set to air Thursday, March 26th at the Oriental Theatre. This will be the only showing of the film so be there or be square.

A reminder: Tickets are $6 each and first-come-first-served. There will be a post-film talk-back, so bring your questions and comments.

"Abd El Kader" is an animated documentary on the life of Emir Abd el Kader, an Algerian Islamic scholar and Sufi who found himself unexpectedly a military leader leading the struggle against the French colonial invasion in the mid-19th century.

For more information, please visit the film festival's site, mmfilmfest.com.

Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival Continues On Toward Success.

From what I have heard, both showings of "Yemeniettes" by the Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival #MMFilmFest were a roaring success. I went to the Wednesday showing and was suitably impressed by both documentary and director. Some of my favorite parts of the film were all of the excellent one-liners the mother of one of the girls would give throughout the film. For those of you that couldn't make it, Wednesday's showing was followed by a talk-back session with the Director/Executive Producer, Leon Shahabian. It was a true treat.

Leon Shahabian proved himself to be a well-spoken, well-informed individual and very approachable. At one point, he even tried to cut the listing of his impressive credits short to get to the questions. During the talk-back, we learned fascinating facts about the area, his filming interests, how they discovered and decided to film the girls, post-filming updates on the families, behind-the-scenes details (including how the girls got their funding) and all sorts of information we wouldn't have otherwise.

The girls were, surprisingly enough, all from upper middle class families with fathers in prestigious governmental positions. I say surprising because of two things. First of all, the area in which they lived appeared, perhaps because of my decidedly American viewpoint, a less than expected level of development. They went to public school, and seemed very much on level with most of the other individuals seen in the documentary. Secondly, he had made sure they were in their everyday clothing to better connect with and inspire fellow Yemeni for, as Leon Shahabian stated during the talk-back, "this film was for them" (the Yemeni people).

We also got a chance to speak with a Yemeni during the talk-back, as a member of the audience was discovered to be an exchange student from the region. Hamza seemed an intelligent, driven individual with a desire to go on to college and make something of himself. He was able to answer questions about various cultural aspects and some insight into his perspective on the situation and his plans for the future. It was a nice parallel with the film that couldn't have gone much better if we had tried.

Here's an update on the "Yemeniettes" girls since the film debuted:

Last Mr. Shahabian heard as of 2012, the girls were still running their company, Creative Generation, with half working the company and the other half away at college to get their degrees and planning on returning to continue their work there and hopeful to expand, both to other countries and into other solar products.

With all of the unrest in Yemen, it is unfortunate to say, not much is known of the girls' current goings on. They are just some of the many people stuck between the Houthis, ISIS and other warring factions in the conflict in their country. It is unfortunate, but war is and has never been "surgical," and forced regime changes rarely clean. However, people remain hopeful. Perhaps one day everything will clear up and the girls can really make a difference. They already have proven an inspiration.

"Yemeniettes" Opening

Tonight is the opening night of "Yemeniettes" followed by director led discussion. I will be there along with my other IRC coworkers. We are excited about the director commentary. It should be a fun experience, one that I hope a lot of you are going to join me for. Just a reminder, "Yemeniettes" is a documentary about three young girls from Yemen that enter an entrepreneurial contest with energy saving products, leading the way for future Yemenis to create a brighter future. Join me tonight 7PM at the Oriental Theater. Tickets cost $6. Can't wait to see you there!

Come see "Yemeniettes" at the Oriental Theatre and UWM Union Theatre

The Islamic Resource Center is proud to be working with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, UWM, and the Muslim Society of America to bring you the first annual Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival #MMFilmFest.

Our next film in the festival series is Yemeniettes. It will be showing 7PM Wednesday, March 11th, at the Oriental Theatre and 7PM Thursday, March 12th, at the UWM Union Theatre. Both screenings include post-screening talk-backs with Wednesday's showing including discussion with the director. Tickets cost $6 both nights and UWM students get in free to the Union Theatre. IRC staff will be on site to help and answer any questions you might have.

Yemeniettes follows three Yemeni girls as they compete in an entrepreneurship competition. Their innovation and confidence impress the judges as they showcase a series of products designed to address the energy shortage and limited access to electricity across Yemen. Against all odds, the girls advance and secure their place at the pan-Arab championships where, if they win, they will receive funding to turn their dream into a reality and provide hope to a new generation of Yemeni youth.

We hope to see you there.