Will Hollywood ever really understand Islam?
We look at a new report into 100 years of Muslims tropes in the movie business.
On Monday, October 22 at 19:30 GMT:
“The angry, but inept, terrorist. The bumbling Sheikh. The sultry belly dancer. The ‘Good’ Muslim vs. the ‘Bad’ Muslim.” Stereotypes such as these have dominated US popular culture for decades. And according to a new report, “Haqq and Hollywood: Illuminating 100 years of Muslim Tropes And How to Transform Them“, they have fueled anti-Muslim sentiment and can even shape draconian government policies.
The authors of the report, though, say there is hope and that things are changing for the better. In recent years, more nuanced stories that better reflect the diversity and complexity of Muslim communities have emerged. Muslim filmmakers, comedians and screen writers are increasingly telling their own stories and pushing back against stereotypical and damaging narratives. Shows such as Jack Ryan, FBI and Brown Girls have won praise for more intelligent portrayals of Muslim communities.
On this episode of The Stream, we’ll discuss the “Haqq and Hollywood” report with its author and speak to some of Hollywood’s best-known Muslims. Join the conversation.
On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Maytha Alhassen, @maythaphd
Author, Haqq and Hollywood
mayalhassen.com
Azita Ghanizada, @AzitaGhanizada
Actress/Advocate
menaartsadvocacy.com
Salam Al-Marayati, @SalamAlmarayati
Executive Director, Muslim Public Affairs Council
mpachollywoodbureau.org
Aminah Bakeer Abdul-Jabbar, @aminahbakeer
Filmmaker
muslimahsguidetomarriage.com
Read more:
Riz Ahmed inspired a grading system that shows how often Muslims are misrepresented in film – AJ+
How Hollywood can help overcome negative perceptions of Muslims – The Wrap
What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.