We
live in a time when mass media has taken a major role in providing us with information
about the world around us. We use that information in forming our opinions and
evolving our emotions. We very often take that information for granted; we let
ourselves use the same sources over and over again, without paying enough attention
to the validity of the picture drawn by those sources, or the honesty of their
motivations.
In a perfect world, the images provided in media would
mimic reality, and present us with an accurate picture helping us formulate
informed and fair opinions and judgments which ultimately drive our actions.
Unfortunately, our world is far from perfect. As Arabs, we have suffered for
long from the misconceptions and distorted picture that the current media has
drawn of us for the consumption of the American public specifically, and the
world generally.
It would not take you long to find a movie in which
an Arab is shown as a terrorist trying to kidnap, kill or destroy someone or
something. I challenge you to recall watching a movie in which Beirut was shown
as the beautiful city that it is, instead of a war-struck city, in which the
hero is escaping an Arab terrorist who is often depicted with an Egyptian accent.
Nor would it be a simple task to find a movie showing an American
family of Arab origin. Instead, you will almost always find the single
Arab man, bearded and with the usual heavy accent and humorless demeanor. Unfortunately,
there are all common themes in popular media, be it film, television series,
or other forms.
The severity of our current reality is amplified
by the lack of Arab talent. An Arab writer, using mere words, could
describe how similar an Arab girl, boy, woman and man are to other Americans,
yet how unique and beautiful their differences are. An Arab producer could bring
to life a window onto a culture so rich, and communicate to the world the way
the Arabs want to be seen. An Arab actor could redraw the human face of
an Arab person, expressing the shared human joy, suffering and humor.
In
his continuous desire to support the creation of the Arab talent, and in their
stated goal of advancing the Arab interests in the US and abroad and empowering
the Arab community, Tony Shalhoub and the Network of Arab American Professionals
(NAAP) have collaborated to introduce the first Arab American Film Maker Award
2005.
Although we are confident that this award will expose some of
the hidden talent in the Arab community, Tony and NAAP both realize that the
community's participation is crucial to the success of this endeavor and many
others to come. It is imperative that the Arab community takes ownership
of drawing its own image and plays an active role in building tolerance and
understanding in the world.
NAAP, in coordination with Tony Shalhoub,
is happy to announce a fund raising event for the first Arab American Film Maker
Award. This will be the chance for you and the whole Arab community to show
their moral and financial support to the cause of advancing Arab participation
in the common human culture, and the US film industry specifically. Don’t
watch the film go by… be a part of it…
