Learn about Muslims in post-9/11 America through the lens of Faiza Almontaser.

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17-year-old Faiza Almontaser immigrated to the US from Yemen and faced vicious bullying because of her Islamic identity. Mentored by the legendary Albert Maysles, Faiza shows us her courageous and inspiring journey from victim to activist.

Faiza Almontaser is a senior attending the Brooklyn International High School. In 2006 Faiza immigrated with her family to Brooklyn, NY from a small farming town in Yemen. Raised as a religious Muslim, she often struggles to reconcile her cultural background with the realities she meets as a high school student in one of New York City's most socially dynamic neighborhoods.

At age 10, Faiza enrolled in the sixth grade as the only Muslim in her school. She had high hopes for her new education, but was soon discouraged by her minimal understanding of English and the anti-Islamic fervor she encountered among her classmates. Without the knowledge of language to defend herself, Faiza spent her first few months suffering in silence.

Determined to find her voice, she spent six months learning enough English to begin speaking out against the discrimination faced by Muslims in her community. Now in high school she works as a peer trainer with the Anti-Defamation League, teaching her classmates the dangers and repercussions of racism. Faiza also works to combat her struggle with the written word; through poems and essays she challenges common misconceptions of Islamic culture, and expresses her visions for change and equality.

Under the mentorship of the award-winning filmmaker Albert Maysles, he is among the world's pre-eminent documentary filmmakers and the dean of American documentary filmmaking, Albert is recognized as the pioneer of "direct cinema," the distinctly American version of French "cinema verité." His films include Salesman, Gimme Shelter, Grey Gardens and Oscar-nominated LaLee's Kin: The Legacy of Cotton.

This film engages a conversation about Islamophobia, bullying, and immigration in an increasingly polarized, post-9/11 world. Faiza's story has the power to change and transform the national discourse on bullying with understanding and empathy. Faiza's film personally illuminates issues of religious tolerance, bias, fused identity, immigration, activism and social change.

The film screened at over 40 film festivals around the world including the premiere at Lincoln Center, Adelaide Kids Film Festival, UN Envision, St. Louis International Film Festival, MY HERO International Film Festival (Second place Student/Mentor Award), Doha Film Institute's Ajyal Youth Film Festival, Hollywood Short Film Festival, Athens International Film and Video Festival, Nashville Film Festival (Watkins Young Filmmaker Award), NY Women and Film and Television's Immigrant Women Series, VIsionFest, UN Association Film Festival, Chicago International Children's Film Festival, Columbus International Film and Video Festival, Mallorca International Film Festival, Impact Docs (Documentary Student Short), Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, International Family Film Festival (Best Documentary) and was showcased at a SXSW Film Festival Panel and WNET Youth Collective Summit.

Faiza Almontaser, Director, Cinematographer, Narrator
Holly Carter, Executive Producer
Albert Maysles, Producer

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