citizenship we don’t have you don’t have citizenship as in you don’t have a
citizenship as in you don’t have a
citizenship as in you don’t have a country that’s right where are you from
country that’s right where are you from
country that’s right where are you from Israel no no it’s the Palestinian
Israel no no it’s the Palestinian
Israel no no it’s the Palestinian territory
the occupation yes it is like you posit
the occupation yes it is like you posit for 40 years I’m a political sort of
for 40 years I’m a political sort of
for 40 years I’m a political sort of activist background and became a
activist background and became a
activist background and became a filmmaker because I thought there was an
filmmaker because I thought there was an
filmmaker because I thought there was an opportunity to tell stories that haven’t
opportunity to tell stories that haven’t
opportunity to tell stories that haven’t been told that have the potential to
been told that have the potential to
been told that have the potential to change the way people see things and so
change the way people see things and so
change the way people see things and so you know came from that need to do
you know came from that need to do
you know came from that need to do something to kind of not to be cliche
something to kind of not to be cliche
something to kind of not to be cliche but they got to make the world a better
but they got to make the world a better
but they got to make the world a better place I would say my experience as a
place I would say my experience as a
place I would say my experience as a fourteen-year-old during the first Gulf
fourteen-year-old during the first Gulf
fourteen-year-old during the first Gulf War was really what inspired Enrica and
War was really what inspired Enrica and
War was really what inspired Enrica and I carried that story with me throughout
I carried that story with me throughout
I carried that story with me throughout the years and when I finally went to
the years and when I finally went to
the years and when I finally went to film school in 2003 we had you know the
film school in 2003 we had you know the
film school in 2003 we had you know the u.s. had invaded Iraq again and it was
u.s. had invaded Iraq again and it was
u.s. had invaded Iraq again and it was post 9/11 we were it was like history
post 9/11 we were it was like history
post 9/11 we were it was like history just repeating itself and I was hearing
just repeating itself and I was hearing
just repeating itself and I was hearing all these stories of Arabs you know hate
all these stories of Arabs you know hate
all these stories of Arabs you know hate crimes and the way you know taxi drivers
crimes and the way you know taxi drivers
crimes and the way you know taxi drivers in New York were afraid and people were
in New York were afraid and people were
in New York were afraid and people were putting up the flags and they’re in
putting up the flags and they’re in
putting up the flags and they’re in their cabs and of course it just took me
their cabs and of course it just took me
their cabs and of course it just took me back and made me think about why I
back and made me think about why I
back and made me think about why I became a filmmaker to begin with and
became a filmmaker to begin with and
became a filmmaker to begin with and that was kind of when I realized I
that was kind of when I realized I
that was kind of when I realized I needed to sit down and write the story
needed to sit down and write the story
needed to sit down and write the story Arica actually means America and Arabic
Arica actually means America and Arabic
Arica actually means America and Arabic so I mean I was when I was young my
so I mean I was when I was young my
so I mean I was when I was young my parents spoke Arabic only at home and I
parents spoke Arabic only at home and I
parents spoke Arabic only at home and I only really started only learned English
only really started only learned English
only really started only learned English when I started school so I was really
when I started school so I was really
when I started school so I was really confused my first year of school
confused my first year of school
confused my first year of school kindergarten I was sort of mixing arabic
kindergarten I was sort of mixing arabic
kindergarten I was sort of mixing arabic and english in fact I would and I would
and english in fact I would and I would
and english in fact I would and I would add ing endings to the end of Arabic
add ing endings to the end of Arabic
add ing endings to the end of Arabic verbs so it kind of had my own language
verbs so it kind of had my own language
verbs so it kind of had my own language and I when I got older I started making
and I when I got older I started making
and I when I got older I started making fun of myself and saying that I speak
fun of myself and saying that I speak
fun of myself and saying that I speak Arabic so M Rica was kind of my way of
Arabic so M Rica was kind of my way of
Arabic so M Rica was kind of my way of finding a title that for me was really
finding a title that for me was really
finding a title that for me was really what the language I’m most comfortable
what the language I’m most comfortable
what the language I’m most comfortable speaking in a movie that is really this
speaking in a movie that is really this
speaking in a movie that is really this melding of two cultures
the board we’re hella Balotelli okay
the board we’re hella Balotelli okay Nina’s a war a samosa Gina but no aside
Nina’s a war a samosa Gina but no aside
Nina’s a war a samosa Gina but no aside from the story being inspired by my own
from the story being inspired by my own
from the story being inspired by my own family in this small town it’s also
family in this small town it’s also
family in this small town it’s also inspired by my aunt who the character
inspired by my aunt who the character
inspired by my aunt who the character muna is based upon and and her
muna is based upon and and her
muna is based upon and and her immigration to the US and by the time
immigration to the US and by the time
immigration to the US and by the time she immigrated I was old enough to
she immigrated I was old enough to
she immigrated I was old enough to really see her struggle so for me the
really see her struggle so for me the
really see her struggle so for me the movie is really a sort of heartbreaking
movie is really a sort of heartbreaking
movie is really a sort of heartbreaking and heartwarming story of a woman who is
and heartwarming story of a woman who is
and heartwarming story of a woman who is trying to start a new life and not just
trying to start a new life and not just
trying to start a new life and not just not just having to deal with the things
not just having to deal with the things
not just having to deal with the things that every immigrant deals with with
that every immigrant deals with with
that every immigrant deals with with just fitting into a new culture but also
just fitting into a new culture but also
just fitting into a new culture but also having to deal with some of the backlash
having to deal with some of the backlash
having to deal with some of the backlash from you know living in a country where
from you know living in a country where
from you know living in a country where there are certain stereotypes and where
there are certain stereotypes and where
there are certain stereotypes and where the political climate is not so friendly
the political climate is not so friendly
the political climate is not so friendly she came in in red and from the first
she came in in red and from the first
she came in in red and from the first moment it’s you know many times you just
moment it’s you know many times you just
moment it’s you know many times you just know and she really had a life about her
know and she really had a life about her
know and she really had a life about her a sort of a sweetness a kindness about
a sort of a sweetness a kindness about
a sort of a sweetness a kindness about her and and almost like a childlike
her and and almost like a childlike
her and and almost like a childlike wonder I don’t really know how else to
wonder I don’t really know how else to
wonder I don’t really know how else to put it other than there was something
put it other than there was something
put it other than there was something about her that was so youthful and yet I
about her that was so youthful and yet I
about her that was so youthful and yet I could still see in her eyes like the
could still see in her eyes like the
could still see in her eyes like the depth of of sadness that you know that
depth of of sadness that you know that
depth of of sadness that you know that life the life experience had had given
life the life experience had had given
life the life experience had had given her so there was this really kind of
her so there was this really kind of
her so there was this really kind of beautiful blend of melancholy yet hope
beautiful blend of melancholy yet hope
beautiful blend of melancholy yet hope and use and you know someone who really
and use and you know someone who really
and use and you know someone who really wanted to live
wanted to live
wanted to live people who read the assignment they
people who read the assignment they
people who read the assignment they targeted aliens with ties to come in
Fetty for uh it’s fadi isn’t that what I
Fetty for uh it’s fadi isn’t that what I said I take it that you mom check it out
said I take it that you mom check it out
said I take it that you mom check it out have a seat welcome to current world
have a seat welcome to current world
have a seat welcome to current world issues I’m mr. Jones what are you
issues I’m mr. Jones what are you
issues I’m mr. Jones what are you joining us from he’s something about him
joining us from he’s something about him
joining us from he’s something about him that was angry what you’re really liked
that was angry what you’re really liked
that was angry what you’re really liked yet bottled up and there was something
yet bottled up and there was something
yet bottled up and there was something about him that was political yet
about him that was political yet
about him that was political yet refusing to be you know or at least
refusing to be you know or at least
refusing to be you know or at least consciously refusing to be political
consciously refusing to be political
consciously refusing to be political even though a lot of his motivations
even though a lot of his motivations
even though a lot of his motivations felt political and his anger felt
felt political and his anger felt
felt political and his anger felt political so there was there was a
political so there was there was a
political so there was there was a really interesting thing there there was
really interesting thing there there was
really interesting thing there there was a there’s something I liked about him a
a there’s something I liked about him a
a there’s something I liked about him a lot as well for the character which was
lot as well for the character which was
lot as well for the character which was that he he’s a kid I mean you see that
that he he’s a kid I mean you see that
that he he’s a kid I mean you see that he’s a kid yet he has a maturity about
he’s a kid yet he has a maturity about
he’s a kid yet he has a maturity about him
him
him and he has the ability to be the man as
and he has the ability to be the man as
and he has the ability to be the man as well which is what I was looking for in
well which is what I was looking for in
well which is what I was looking for in the relationship between Munna and her
the relationship between Munna and her
the relationship between Munna and her son Fatih I’m really excited about about
son Fatih I’m really excited about about
son Fatih I’m really excited about about the cast I mean that’s really the most
the cast I mean that’s really the most
the cast I mean that’s really the most exciting thing to me that the fact that
exciting thing to me that the fact that
exciting thing to me that the fact that I was really able to find this family
I was really able to find this family
I was really able to find this family and each person brings such uniqueness
and each person brings such uniqueness
and each person brings such uniqueness to the character in such depth to each
to the character in such depth to each
to the character in such depth to each character more depth than I actually
character more depth than I actually
character more depth than I actually really imagined and working with them
really imagined and working with them
really imagined and working with them has been so great because through the
has been so great because through the
has been so great because through the collaboration we’ve just found we found
collaboration we’ve just found we found
collaboration we’ve just found we found such moments of truth in such real
such moments of truth in such real
such moments of truth in such real moments that that’s been one of the most
moments that that’s been one of the most
moments that that’s been one of the most exciting things I want people to walk
exciting things I want people to walk
exciting things I want people to walk away with a sense of hope that you know
away with a sense of hope that you know
away with a sense of hope that you know these stereotypes aren’t necessary that
these stereotypes aren’t necessary that
these stereotypes aren’t necessary that you know there are all kinds of Middle
you know there are all kinds of Middle
you know there are all kinds of Middle Eastern people that the culture is a
Eastern people that the culture is a
Eastern people that the culture is a really beautiful thing that we should
really beautiful thing that we should
really beautiful thing that we should celebrate and that we’re all lucky to be
celebrate and that we’re all lucky to be
celebrate and that we’re all lucky to be here
”
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