Written and directed by Usama Alshaibi (Nice Bombs)
Quick take: Promises to be both personal and provocative, which are two things I tend to like in a documentary, plus it’s from Kartemquin Films, who produce Steve James’s films (like Hoop Dreams and The Interrupters) and other great titles (A Good Man and The Trials of Muhammad Ali, for two). There seems to be some sound issues in the trailer but hopefully that’ll be fixed.
Release date: Premieres Friday, November 22, 2013 at IDFA 2013. Official release in 2014.
Synopsis, via Kartemquin:
A Coming of Arab story. Iraqi-American filmmaker Usama Alshaibi (Nice Bombs) shares his own story of experiencing racism in post-9/11 America. Showcasing the diversity of Arabs living in the United States, American Arab sparks a frank conversation about identity and perception, and argues for giving people “the space to be complicated.”