MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition announced today, April 9, holding the 5th Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival, one of the USA’s leading Muslim film festivals, between April 25 and 28, Milwaukee Independent reported.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with one of the best film festivals in the country and showing our films in the beautiful Oriental Theatre,” said Janan Najeeb, president of the coalition and founder of the festival.
She continued: “We see this as the next phase in the evolution of the festival and are excited to bring this unique festival to Milwaukee Film members and the city at large. As one of the very few Muslim film festivals in the USA, this simply confirms Milwaukee as a city that embraces art and diversity.”
The coalition founded the annual festival in 2015 to create meaningful and relevant community dialogue surrounding Islam and the Muslim experience. All screenings of this year’s event will be shown at Milwaukee’s historic Oriental Theatre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
According to 2010 estimates, Milwaukee had a population of 594,833. As few as 0.5% of the total population are Muslims.
At the screening, there will be foods to sample made by local restaurants run by former refugees. The event will be opened by the acclaimed documentary ‘Same God’.
The inaugural religious film follows Dr. Larycia Hawkins, then a professor at a Christian university, and the firestorm that ensued following her social media post stating that Muslims and Christians worship the same God.
Interestingly, the subject and the director of the film are scheduled to be in attendance, something which will facilitate interaction between viewers, their reviews and the filmmakers.
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The line-up of 2019 festival also includes the movie ‘Life Without Basketball’, which shows the story of Abdul-Qaadir who broke records and barriers on her way to becoming the first Division I basketball player to play wearing a hijab, and the infamous ban on religious headgear ends her chances at playing professionally.
Another masterpiece called for the event is ‘This Is Home’, a poignant film directed by Alexandra Shiva documenting the lives of newly relocated refugee families in Baltimore.
‘Midnight Traveler’ will be also screened where it depicts an outspoken filmmaker and his family fleeing their home after being targeted by Taliban militia in the Muslim South Asian country of Afghanistan.
‘Wajd: Songs of Separation’ on the other hand follows three musicians who find hope in music while facing uncertain futures. Another movie is ‘Soufra’, which highlights the entrepreneurial drive of a group of female refugees who join together in opening a catering business.
A documentary film named ‘Ghost Hunting’ will also be screened about Palestinians who were held in a Zionist detention center and are assembled to re-enact their experience in an effort to heal.
In addition to seven film presentations, the festival will feature talkbacks after every screening, filmmaker Q&As, and panel discussions.
The annual festival, deemed one of America’s leading international Muslim film festivals, has paved a way for award-winning motion pictures to be discovered by a local audience while offering creative filmmakers the attention they deserve.
The festival is dedicated to discovering and sharing some of the most exhilarating and thought-provoking films from around the world.
The objective is to use movies as a way to converse on topics and issues that are relevant to matters occurring in the world today, generating important discussions regarding Muslims and the Muslim world.