news

March 31: CineWomen on Screen: A NYWIFT Series - Amreeka

This screening series celebrates the work of emerging female filmmakers from all over the world. Films that are included in the series must be directed, co-directed, produced, written, edited or shot by women. Whenever possible, the filmmakers are present for discussion and socializing after their works are presented. There will be a Q&A following the screening, and an after-party to follow, with Cash Bar and complimentary food.

This month’s film is Amreeka, told with heartfelt humor by writer-director Cherien Dabis, in her feature film debut.

Screening takes place March 31st, 7pm, @:
Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Ave., at 2nd Street.
Discount Tickets for Media Rights members are $7 Present your membership card and/or tell them of your affiliation.
Purchase tickets on the day of the screening at the Anthology box office. Cash Only-no credit cards. For more information visit: www.nywift.org

Amreeka chronicles the adventures of Muna, a single mother who leaves the West Bank with Fadi, her teenage son, with dreams of an exciting future in the promised land of small town Illinois. In America, as her son navigates high school hallways the way he used to move through military checkpoints, the indomitable Muna scrambles together a new life cooking up falafel burgers as well as hamburgers at the local White Castle.

Amreeka is a universal journey into the lives of a family of immigrants and first-generation teenagers caught between their heritage and the new world in which they now live and the bittersweet search for a place to call home. Amreeka recalls Dabis’s family’s memories of their lives in rural America during the first Iraq War.

The film stars Haifa-trained actress Nisreen Faour as Muna, and Melkar Muallen plays her 16-year-old son, Fadi. Also in the cast are Hiam Abbass, Alia Shawkat, Yussef Abu-Warda and Joseph Ziegler. Written and directed by Cherien Dabis, Amreeka was produced by Christina Piovesan and Paul Barkin. Alicia Sams, Dabis and Gregory Keever were executive producers; Liz Jarvis and Al-Zain Al-Sabah were co-producers.

National Geographic Entertainment released Amreeka in September 2009. Amreeka is a First Generation Films-Alcina Pictures-Buffalo Gal Pictures/Eagle Vision Media Group Production, presented by E1 Entertainment in association with Levantine Entertainment, Rotana Studios and Showtime Arabia.

Amreeka made its world premiere in dramatic competition at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, and played as Opening Night of New Directors/New Films, a co-presentation of The Museum of Modern Art and The Film Society of Lincoln Center. Amreeka made its debut internationally in Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

About the Filmmaker:
CHERIEN DABIS (Director/Writer/Executive Producer)

Named one of Variety’s “Ten Directors to Watch” in 2009, award-winning independent filmmaker Cherien Dabis makes her feature writing and directorial debut with Amreeka, which premiered to both audience and critical acclaim in U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. The film went on to open the Museum of Modern Art and Film Society of Lincoln Center’s annual New Director’s/New Films series in New York and had its international premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival’s Director’s Fortnight last May. The film has been nominated for three Spirit Awards this year.

Dabis’s original script was selected to participate in the 2005 Sundance Middle East Screenwriter’s Lab, IFP/LA Director’s Lab, Los Angeles Film Festival’s Fast Track program and 2007 Berlinale Co-Production Market. At Tribeca All Access in 2007, Dabis was honored with the first ever L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Vision Award, and last year she won the Renew Media/Tribeca Film Institute’s Media Artist Fellowship, founded by the Rockefeller Foundation.

Also a television writer and co-producer, Dabis worked on Showtime Network’s ground-breaking, original hit series The L Word for three seasons.

Starts	March 22 2010
Ends / Deadline	March 31 2010
Homepage	www.nywift.org
Contact	info@nywift.org
Issues	Economic Justice, Family & Society, Immigration, International, Politics/Government, Racial Justice, Youth