‘MOOZ-lum’-The Movie: Struggle? Truth? Identity? Faith? Yes, A Must See!
Article Written By: Zaaynab Le’Von
YRAC Editor
The number of “Likes” on Facebook, “Tweets” on Twitter, and trailer views on YouTube exceed 350,000. It’s been internationally demanded and added as a “Favorite” repeatedly on Eventful.com. Peace Films has announced its release for February 11, 2011 and distribution arrangements have been made with AMC Theatres. What’s that you say – it’s the highly anticipated, independent, Urbanworld Film Festival award-winning film ‘MOOZ –lum’.
With its one-word title ‘MOOZ-lum’ definitely piques curiosities and is expected to attract Muslims and non-Muslims alike. In case you’re wondering about the phonetically spelled title – it was deliberately done this way to coincide with the misconceptions of the Islamic faith. The story is largely autobiographical as many of the events stem from actual happenings in the life of the film’s Muslim American writer Qasim Basir.
Being an African-American filmmaker, writer, & director Qasim “Q” Basir was expected by many to follow the norm and create a stereotypical film that either effeminizes Black males and/or portrays them as drug-dealers, hoodlums, or inmates. Basir heard these words when he pitched his film idea: “While we really like the film, we don’t think there is an audience for this”. Dear naysayers, I tell you there is an audience for this type of film. The audience isn’t just Black people; and it’s not just Muslims. The film was not written only for Americans. This is a wonderfully written, masterfully directed film that globally aims to speak to the various creeds, ethnicities, and belief-systems. So there you have it – the audience is everyone.
It is that demanding audience that has made it possible for ‘MOOZ-lum’ to be shown in a selected theatre within the following 10 cities on Friday, February 11, 2011 – they are:
- Atlanta – AMC North Dekalb 16
- Chicago – AMC River East 21
- Dallas – AMC Grapevine Mills 30
- Detroit – AMC Star Fairlane 21
- D.C. (District of Columbia) – AMC Hoffman Center 22
- Houston – AMC Studio 30
- Los Angeles – AMC 30 at The Block
- New York City – AMC Empire 25
- Philadelphia – AMC Franklin Mills 14
- San Francisco – AMC Loews Metreon 16
You can purchase your theatre ticket expecting to see veteran performing artist Danny Glover (The Color Purple, Beloved), Nia Long (Love Jones, Soul Food), Evan Ross (ATL, Pride), Roger Guenveur Smith (Do The Right Thing, He Got Game), Summer Bishil (Towelhead, The Last Airbender), and Dorian Missick (Freedomland, The Manchurian Candidate).
‘MOOZ-lum’ is the relatable story of a young African-American Muslim male who juggles painful family trauma, an unwelcoming post 9/11 political and social climate, and the pangs of self-identification. All of this Tariq Mahdi does while in a state of confusion in regards to his Islamic faith and upbringing.
Coming-of-age, young Tariq is entering college as a freshman with mixed emotions as he realizes his new surroundings are out of line with the teachings of his strict Muslim father.
This film has been rated by the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) and certified as a PG-13 movie, therefore suggesting parental guidance for those under the age of 13.
For more on ‘MOOZ-lum’ be sure to visit www.moozlumthemovie.com and www.facebook.com/moozlumthemovie
Assalaaamualaikum, very good article, can’t wait to have a opportunity to see the movie, inshaAllah.
Sounds awesome, I’m so happy Muslims are taking bigger steps out there. I hope the movie is super successful Inshallah. Keep up the great work
A Muslim’s View of “MOOZ-lum, the Movie”
by q. daawud grey
“….Don’t you know that ALLAH (God) has power over all things?” (Qur-aan 2:106)
Consider this:
At the age of 22, he miraculously survived a car accident whereby his SUV, traveling “70 miles-an-hour,” turned over several times and propelled him into a wooded area where his trajectory was ended by a barbed-wire fence.
“The barbed wire fence prevented me from going into the bayou and anyone who knows anything about (the state of) Louisiana, knows that’s where the crocodiles are,” explained Qasim Basir, the writer and director of the new “MOOZ-lum” film. He was speaking on-line in an exclusive interview towards the end of last year.
“The car flipped over a number of times and shot me through the side window (with my head breaking the glass). I flew about 40 feet into the woods in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and rolled into a barbed wire fence,” said Bro. Qasim, adding that the roof collapsed over the seat he occupied, as soon as the vehicle came to a halt.
He told the viewers of the YouTube channel Aalia Network on 10-3-10 that he had sustained a dislocated shoulder, brain contusions and his underarm skin near the injured shoulder was “gone.”
It was during his recovery in the hospital that he “made a promise to ALLAH” that should he live, he would “do more” with his life.
“….Don’t you know that ALLAH (God) has power over all things?” (Qur-aan 2:106)
Eight years later, comes Mooz-lum – A Film by Q.
The 95-minute film stars Diana Ross’ son, Evan Ross, as the lead character (Tariq) with Nia Long, playing the role of his mother (Safiyah); Roger Guenveur Smith in the role of his father (Hassan) and Kimberley Drummond, as his sister (Taqua).
It is a film about the complexity yet universality of life; and some noble human qualities that make it all worthwhile, such as courage, compassion, faithfulness and intelligence.
The story itself traces a young man’s journey towards his destiny, spotlighting his passage into manhood. The journey crystalizes on a college campus in 2001, the year of the infamous Twin Towers Attack. The film employs several cinematic techniques such as flashbacks, stock imagery and closing montage in order to engage the audience with the context for Tariq’s journey.
As Tariq enters his freshman year of college, he is unaware of the combustable events about to occur that will help him realize his destiny and propel him into manhood.
An African-American, born and raised as a Muslim, Tariq rejects his Muslim identity because of his painful experience at an Islamic boarding school and the distant relationship with his unaffectionate, one-dimensional father. Hassan is obsessed with the idea of his son becoming “a hafeez (memorizer-reciter) of the Qur-aan.”
At two critical stages in Tariq’s life, the audience is shown Hassan’s emotional limitations. The first is in the opening scene as Tariq is about to drive off to college. Hassan comes to the car, gets his son’s attention and then, the only words he can say is: “Be safe.” There are no hugs; no expressions of love.
The second is a similar departure-scene but occurs as a flashback. On his son’s first day at the Islamic boarding school, as Hassan is about to depart, he tells his about-12-years-old son: “Stand up straight.” He then, grips Tariq by the shoulders in an apparent emotional gesture to only say these words: “Keep safe.”
The rationale for this peculiar behavior is given to Safiyah in another scene, where Hassan explains that their son must be trained on “how to be a man” because “when I was his age, I was marching behind Malcolm X and working part-time.” The father’s rigid, disciplined, devoid-of-sentiment approach to life is clearly the basis for the young boy’s negative view of the religion.
It is no wonder that Tariq’s rejection of al-Islam is also given in that opening car-scene with the tossing of his kufi (prayer cap) out of the car window. This theme of rejection is constantly and literally pronounced throughout the movie with Tariq’s insistence on being called “T.”
The movie climaxes, however, with the infamous events of September 11, when Tariq’s destiny is realized in the voluntary acceptance of al-Islam.
As every Muslim knows, there is “no compulsion” in al-Islam (Qur-aan 2:256). A person can not be forced to become a Muslim. One can only become a Muslim if the person voluntarily accepts the Faith which is first demonstrated with a public declaration of belief in the Creator and his last prophet.
“….Don’t you know that ALLAH (God) has power over all things?” (Qur-aan 2:106)
The terrorist destruction of the Twin Towers also served as a perfect catalyst for Tariq’s passage into manhood.
One significant step taken by Tariq in his entry into manhood is when he apologizes to his Muslim roommate, Hamza (played by the young, talented Kunal Sharma) for his un-Islamic treatment of the roommate. Tariq even takes responsibility for the roommate’s head injury because he felt that, had he not abandoned Hamza after the news of 9-11, the roommate, struck by an empty beer bottle, would not have been a victim of anti-Islamic campus violence.
Another step into his manhood is observed when Tariq comes to the defense of his sister and her girlfriend, Iman (played with such innocence by Summer Bishil). He courageously shields them from a 9-11-incited mob of students.
Perhaps, the greatest step for Tariq is seen when he forgives the father for his shortcomings and for enrolling him in the Islamic school where, as a child,
he was physically abused by a Qur-aanic Studies instructor.
You may be wondering: How did a low-budget, independently-produced film attract such experienced actors like Danny Glover, Roger Guenveur Smith and Nia Long?
“….Don’t you know that ALLAH (God) has power over all things?” (Qur-aan 2:106)
At an advance screening in New York City on 2-3-11, Bro. Q simply answered, “It was all about the story. It resonated with them strongly.”
In a recent YouTube interview with Nur Media radio host Qasim Rashad of Philadelphia PA, Bro. Q said, he personally selected Evan Ross, Nia Long, Danny Glover and Roger Guenveur Smith. With Evan Ross, “we were looking for someone who had a name and had done some movies but is not yet labelled.” With Nia Long, “…she just loved the script; she’s a mother with a son and so, she was able to relate to this intense story about a mother and her son.”
Indeed, it is the historically, strong African-American woman – in this case Tariq’s mother – who is the film’s heroine. Though divorced, and with Tariq in the father’s custody, it is Safiyah, not Hassan, who rescues their son from the boarding school and thereby, saves Tariq from any further child abuse.
Bro. Q said he had met Danny Glover about five years ago. “I came to him in about ’05 or ’06 with another project that never got done. In ’07, when I found out that he was a judge in this competition for short films on Muslims in America, my entire plan was to enter my film, win the competition and get a call from Danny’s film company. And that is exactly what happened.” The short film was called “Glimpse.”
However, it took a couple of years, he said, “and about 20 different drafts” before the script was ready for the big screen. Although Mr. Glover’s company didn’t produce it, Bro. Q wanted him to, at least, act in the film.
“Initially (Danny’s) character was a Caucasian and I actually changed it for Danny…and I’m glad I did,” said Bro. Q, adding that the ethnic change allowed the character to portray those African-American “sentiments towards Muslims” that “not many people have seen.”
Roger Smith’s selection was very similar to Ms. Long’s; it was about the script. “This is very important material and I’m very interested,” Mr. Smith told the film producer, Dana Offenbach, when she personally telephoned the actor, according to Bro. Q.
“Don’t you know that ALLAH (God) has power…
Based upon the box office figures, the movie has surpassed the opening weekend earnings for the two leading films in February, Just Go With It and Justin Beiber: Never Say Never, in terms of average “per screen earnings.” According to the website IT News Online (www.itnewsonline.com), Just Go and Justin Beiber were shown “on more than 3,000 screens each” and earned, in their opening weeks, an average of “$8,601 and $9,505 per screen, respectively.”
By comparison, “MOOZ-lum” in its opening week, was shown on 11 screens in 10 selected cities and “earn(ed) $12,712 per screen.”
Furthermore, last year, “MOOZ-lum” was awarded Best Narrative Feature at the NYC 14th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival and captured the Official Selection of the 46th Annual Chicago International Film Festival. It has also been recognized on the continent of Africa. It became the 2010 Official Selection of the 34th Annual Cairo International Film Festival.
“Don’t you know that ALLAH (God)…”
On 2-3-11, this writer attended a Black History event at Lincoln Center featuring an advance screening of “MOOZ-lum,” followed by a panel discussion where the film director was supposed to be present. Unfortunately, Qasim Basir could not appear but did participate, partially, through a teleconferencing format.
In the interest of doing a film review, the writer planned to go to a 42nd Street (Manhattan) showing on 2-14 but was requested by his friend to wait until 2-16, when the friend could accompany him. Though the writer was against the two-day delay, he acquiesced to the request.
On 2-16 after the 7:15 p.m. show had ended: Who appeared in front of the screen to answer questions from the audience? Yesss…Bro. Q himself.
His response as to why he was present: “I had nothing to do and I realized that I hadn’t seen my film in New York yet!”
“Don’t you know…”
(This is an independently distributed film. To “Demand it!” in your particular city, click on to the following link, (www.moozlumthemovie.com)