Arab Film Distribution has acquired the North American rights to Hamzeh Mystique Films/Harron Entertainment's critically acclaimed feature-length documentary "The Letter".
(PRWEB) August 29, 2004 -- Arab Film Distribution has acquired the North American rights to Hamzeh Mystique Films/Harron Entertainment's critically acclaimed feature-length documentary "The Letter".
Premiering at AFI Fest 2003, "The Letter" was written and directed by Ziad H. Hamzeh ("Shadow Glories"), and produced by Hamzeh, Bert Brown and Marc Sandler. The film chronicles the turmoil economically struggling and overwhelmingly white Lewiston, Maine faced when 1,100 former Somali refugees relocated there en-masse in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy - referred to at the time as the "Somali invasion" by the international news media.
Passions were enflamed when Lewiston's then mayor, Larry Raymond, wrote an open letter to the Somali community asking them to tell friends and family not to move into the city. The ensuing controversy pitted anti-immigration white supremacist groups against local community activists supporting the Somalis, culminating in simultaneous competing rallies that necessitated the largest police action in Maine's history to ensure the safety of the city's residents.
According to Arab Film Distribution president John Sinno, the company was impressed with the "The Letter's" strong showing on the festival circuit and the positive reviews and endorsements it has received from such organizations as TeachingTolerence.org. He also notes that the film deeply moves audiences and, as a result, "The Letter" has already developed a following through word-of-mouth.
Sinno calls "The Letter" a powerful, well-crafted documentary that both highlights the timely subject of immigration and racism as well as being thrilling to watch. "It is one of the few documentaries that deals with the reality many Arab-Americans suddenly faced in the post-9/11 world", Sinno said. "The Muslim and Arab-American communities live in fear of the backlash that could take place if there is another large scale terror attack on U.S. soil. 'The Letter' reveals in stark terms the racial underpinnings driving some aspects of the 'War on Terror'. U.S. audiences need to see this film".
But Sinno also sees "The Letter's" acquisition as somewhat of a departure for AFD. "Although we release Arab-made films domestically, Hamzeh's documentary manages to tell in almost narrative fashion a genuinely American story." Sinno states, "And despite its focus on Somali immigrants, this film symbolically represents the struggle for acceptance newly arrived immigrants have faced throughout this country's history. 'The Letter' shows us the best and worst of America with a hopeful yet sobering ending."
In addition to its AFI Fest 2003 debut, "The Letter" won the International Spirit Award for Best Documentary at the 2004 Boston International Film Festival, was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2004 Pan-African Film Festival, and was selected to open the 2004 Amnesty International Film Festival in Pittsburgh.
Arab Film Distribution is gearing up for a fall release of the film.
Official Websites:
"The Letter":
http://www.hamzehmystiquefilms.com/theletter
Arab Film Distribution:
http://www.arabfilm.com
Hamzeh Mystique Films: http://www.hamzehmystiquefilms.com