PROGRAM 6 - Do We Belong? Religion & Xenophobia
The American Dream, military service, running for office - each of these things make up the quilt of America. But just because you live here, doesn't mean you're on the inside. These films look at what it means to be an American while simultaneously being made to feel like you are the “other” in society. How can you feel like you belong when everyone around you says you don’t?
FILMS
Do We Belong?
An Indian immigrant in Kansas is shot and killed in a senseless hate crime, leaving his wife to grapple with the question of whether America is truly her home.
Graven Image
Using archival footage, "Graven Image" explores the history of Georgia’s Confederate Memorial Carving, the largest Confederate monument in the United States, and the memorial's close ties to the Ku Klux Klan.
The Hidden Vote
Dearborn, Michigan has America's largest population of Arab Americans, and an unprecedented number of them are running for city council during Trump's first year in office. Nada is a 26-year-old Palestinian-American liberal, Mike is a 23-year-old Lebanese-American conservative and Trump-supporter. Both are Muslim, and for very different reasons, both were inspired to enter into politics after Trump's presidential win.
Loyalty: Stories
"Loyalty: Stories" is a national storytelling project about American Muslim veterans that explores themes of citizenship, identity, and faith in the post-9/11 era. Through ten documentary-style short films, the film profiles a diverse group of immigrant men and women, American-born Muslims, as well as converts who gave an oath to protect the United States and uphold the Constitution.