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Voices in the Making
By Uzma Hasan
My biggest fear growing up was assimilation. I was desperate not to assimilate, to be different, to stand out from the crowd; as a teen my hair was the shortest in the class, I’d be listening to Prince when everyone else was into Nirvana, and later on in life I prided myself in making sure every major life changing decision was predicated on following the road less travelled. So it didn’t come as much of a surprise to my parents – both doctors – when I told them I was going to make movies for a living!
I’ve just produced my first feature film, THE INFIDEL which is a culture clash comedy written by David Baddiel and starring Omid Djalili about a Muslim man who finds out that he was adopted and born Jewish! For a small, independently made movie, the press and public reaction has been fantastic. We’ve doubled our screens since opening weekend and cinemas are selling out up and down the country. But getting to this point hasn’t been easy; producing an independent film is hard at the best of times but such a ‘controversial’ subject matter? It proved too worrying for many film financiers…
But I think they had a rather superficial understanding; at its heart THE INFIDEL is feel good, funny and fatwa free. Any perceived controversy is there for all the wrong reasons. What’s really controversial and unique about this film is that it doesn’t care to assimilate. Most other movies with ethnic minority characters, from EAST IS EAST to FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, are about a minority trying to orient and assimilate into the majority, mainstream and ultimately non ethnic culture. It’s amazing to think that Mahmud Nasir and his family are the only onscreen Muslims that I can think of who aren’t battling against who they are. They aren’t extremists, they aren’t oppressed, confused or embarrassed about their identity – they are just regular Muslims. Who come up against a really irregular problem! But by showing what life is like for most Muslims in this country what THE INFIDEL is also saying is “we are here, we speak the same language as you, support the same football teams… and we also hate terrorists!” And that is pretty fresh.
So I admit my fear of assimilation was rather naive, I didn’t realise that it had already happened and what I needed to concentrate on was finding my own voice and way of communicating that voice. For me, that means who I am as a Muslim, a woman, a filmmaker and a Brit. My hope for the next decade is that the new generation of Muslims are confident enough to listen to their own voice and stop hiding behind labels that others create. Whether it’s your parents trying to define you or the wider society, the Islamic way forward is to take responsibility for yourself, seek out knowledge and work on who you are and what you have to say.
That’s the only way you can really contribute to the culture around you…
Uzma Hasan is Development Producer at Slingshot Studios. She sits on the selection committees for MAISHA Labs and the British Independent Film Awards. She is London Chapter Head of Harvardwood, the official network of Harvard alumni in the entertainment and media industries. She graduated from University of Wales, Cardiff in English Literature and went on to study Film and Literature at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
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9 Comments
LibertyPhile
I am looking forward to seeing your film. I’m sure it will be a good laugh but I also hope it will throw some light on your article.
What do you really mean by “assimilate”? I suspect it’s just another one of those all-encompassing words now used when the speaker wants to avoid real questions.
I wonder what Mahmud Nasir thinks of the political aims of groups like the Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE) (that is, if he knows they exist!) and where he stands on the views of Tariq Ramadan, especially his call for a moratorium on punishments like the cutting off of hands for theft and stoning for adultery which has been ignored.
One other point; non-Muslims like myself find statements like:
“Whether it’s your parents trying to define you or the wider society, the Islamic way forward is to take responsibility for yourself, seek out knowledge and work on who you are and what you have to say.”
… very irritating and confirmation of our worst suspicions.
It should read
“Whether it’s your parents trying to define you or the wider society, the Islamic way forward – just like it is everyone else – is to take responsibility for yourself, seek out knowledge and work on who you are and what you have to say.”
Good luck.
scholarships for women
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it
LibertyPhile
Penultimate para. should read:
“Whether it’s your parents trying to define you or the wider society, the Islamic way forward – just like it is FOR everyone else – is to take responsibility for yourself, seek out knowledge and work on who you are and what you have to say.”
Sanaa
@ LibertyPhile
Assimilate in this context is obviously referring a cultural minority absorbing into the prevailing culture. Look it up in a dictionary!
Also, why do you find the last statement “very irritating and confirmation of our worst suspicions” — isn’t this a forum aimed at the Muslims community? All the writer is doing is addressing them directly.
I feel your nitpicking hides larger issues!
LibertyPhile
Sanaa
The suggested change makes sense precisely because the author is addressing the Muslim community.
What she actually said sounds like extolling Muslims to do something special to them, more of “… you know, only us Muslims know what is right”. She even uses the phrase “the Islamic way forward”.
She begins her article by expressing her youthful dislike for assimilation referring only to trivial matters, then in later life, she suddenly decides she is assimilated, which according to your dictionary means she “has been absorbed by the prevailing culture”.
What I would like to know is, is she still thinking of only trivial things or matters such as the punishment for adultery, the place of religion in public and private life, and even style of dress? And, is she willing to speak out loud and clear.
I don’t think it is unreasonable to ask these questions.
I fully agree it is important to use the dictionary meaning of words. Take for example “bigot” which now means anyone who doesn’t agree with you, or “phobia”, as in Islamophobia, for anyone who makes a criticism of Islam.
Uzma Hasan
I’d like to respond personally to the discussion that has started.
When I use the phrase “the Islamic way forward” I am not saying that it’s only Muslims that know how to do the right thing. What I am trying to emphasise is the religious value in seeking knowledge. Yes, of course this applies to all communities and Muslims often don’t get it right, but it is PART of our religion to seek knowledge. And I think that’s worth pointing out.
To your second point, when I say assimilated, I mean that I am part of British society not functioning outside of it. I am not Other. This goes for both trivial and non trivial matters. But this does not have to mean that I have abandoned Islam or reject Islamic views.
As to the words ‘bigot’ and ‘phobia’- everyone is entitled to express their views on Islam without being persecuted. Again, religious tolerance is part of Islamic teachings.
I hope that’s clarified some of your concerns.
Bejeweled
Very enticing response Uzma- it’s lovely to hear your point of view and comeback. And you’ve done amazinggggg work on The Infidel. Great example to many aspiring filmmakers, especially from the Muslim community who don’t often go into this field. Thanks!
LibertyPhile
Uzma
Thank you for the clarification. I’m sure you will understand, and probably won’t be surprised, that I continue to be concerned. It is difficult to take Muslim claims of reasonableness at their face value when there are leading Muslim figures who say, for example, stoning to death for adultery is acceptable if people vote for it!
The problem is, as I see it, many Muslims can’t bring themselves to say something in the Koran or Hadith is now wrong, and they end up spouting all kinds of nonsense. And, if one thing is accepted as wrong, where does that lead!
Concerning the search for knowledge, you should read this report of a speech at the Islamic Unity Society given by Mehdi Hasan*, the New Statesman, senior political editor.
http://archbishop-cranmer.blogspot.com/2009/09/but-things-which-come-out-of-mouth-come.html
(* I‘ve just noticed the name; a relation by any chance?)
Interesting article – am looking forward to watching the film – it’s about time that something like this came out!