Upcoming events with Pakistani-American filmmaker Mara Ahmed
The Creative Writing Program, South Asian Studies, the Eqbal Ahmad Initiative at Hampshire and co-sponsors announce “Islamophobia and its Discontents,” a panel discussion on Wednesday April 5th at 6 pm West Lecture Hall, Franklin Patterson Hall. It will feature Pakistani-American filmmaker Mara Ahmed who will speak on “Being Muslim in America.” She will be joined by Professors George Fourlas (Philosophy) of Hampshire who will address “Islamophobia as Racism,” and Mehammed Mack (French and Comparative Literature), Smith College, who will speak on “Islamophobia in France.”
On Thursday April 6th at 5:30 pm in West Lecture Hall, Mara Ahmed will present her most recent film, A Thin Wall, which is about memory, history and the possibility of reconciliation. It focuses on the Partition of India in 1947, but derives lessons that remain urgently relevant today. Shot on both sides of the border, in India and Pakistan, A Thin Wall is a personal take on Partition rooted in stories passed down from one generation to another. It is written and directed by Mara Ahmed and co-produced by Surbhi Dewan. Both filmmakers are descendants of families torn apart by Partition. The film is also a work of art infused with original animation, music and literary writing. A Thin Wall was screened in May 2015 at the Bradford Literature Festival, UK. It was officially selected by film festivals in San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Montreal and Dublin and was screened in Vancouver, London, Brussels and Amsterdam.
Pizza from Antonio’s will be served at both events
PRESS:
“Mara Ahmed’s A THIN WALL is akin to a beautiful and powerful book of essays: many voices sharing poetic, personal, and political stories and viewpoints, woven together to convey a universal aching. It is a textural and tangible journey that captures a profound sense of loss for more than one generation. May we all embrace the lessons this film has to offer.” [Linda Moroney, Director of Greentopia Film, Rochester, NY]
review in city newspaper:
http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/film-review-a-thin-wall/Content?oid=2514121
interview on voice of america:
Mara’s Ted Talk: TEDxRochester
Full list of sponsors: Creative Writing Program, South Asian Studies Program, Eqbal Ahmad Initiative, School of Critical Social Inquiry, Office of Diversity and Multicultural Education, Law Program, Third World Studies