Loading ...Documentary on Arab-Americans being produced in Montclair
Abe Kasbo grew up with “Little House on the Prairie” and played cowboys in blue jeans. In other words, a not-so-unusual Syrian childhood.
“I experienced America from a distance,” said Kasbo, who came stateside at the age of 10. “When I came here, within a day I thought I was in an alternate universe. You watch stuff on TV. You live here. You become American. You come here and there are misconceptions about the place I grew up.”
Kasbo, now of West Caldwell, is looking to clarify some of those misconceptions and detail the contributions of Arab-Americans to Americana in “A Thousand and One Journeys: The Arab Americans,” which is being produced in Montclair. Kasbo is producing, directing and writing the documentary film.
Asked why the story of Arab immigration to the United Sates is less well known than immigration from Europe or Latin America, Kasbo opined that unlike immigrants from Italy, Germany, Mexico and other nations, the story of immigrants from Arab countries has not been told in the context of their effect on Americana, leaving many Americans not knowing their contributions to national history and culture.
The attacks on 9/11 have also played a part in that, Kasbo said, with many going “into their shell” after the attacks.
“This film, I’m not sure would have been done without that context,” Kasbo said. “There’re a lot of good people who have risen to the occasion [and shown] what the Arab community stands for. What I’m hoping to accomplish with the film is to be one element of that piece of the conversation.”
To lay out the Arab contributions to Americana, “A Thousand and One Journeys” is centered around interviews with the likes of Sen. George Mitchell, consumer advocate Ralph Nader, Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist Anthony Shadid, White House Correspondent Helen Thomas and actor Jamie Farr. Throwing in a fun fact, Kasbo mentioned that there would be no Jamie Farr as the world knows him if not for another Arab-American, Dr. Michael DeBakey, who invented the MASH unit.
Intertwined with the perspectives of famous Arab-Americans in arts and public service are the stories of locals, according to Kasbo.
After seven years of work, the film is in its “final countdown.” Kasbo estimates that there are about four weeks of production left, during which music and voiceovers will be added. Over the years, the project has been as much about fundraising as it has been about producing a film. About $100,000 of the over-$600,000 budget for the film has been raised via Indiegogo and Kickstarter campaigns.
The John Templeton Foundation and The Victor Machuga Foundation have also provided grants.
Where has the rest of the funding come from?
“You’re talking to him,” Kasbo said. “It’s been a labor of love. To me, it’s about my kids and leaving something for them that’s going to matter and showing them how important the immigrant journey has been. It’s impacted my life and it’s impacted the United States and the history of the world. For Arab-Americans to not have a voice, I think, would be a shame.”
Kasbo said that he expects to have a director’s cut screening of the film in Montclair in late August or early September. Following the debut in Montclair, Kasbo said he anticipates screening the film in mid-September in New York City and then in Washington, D.C.
Contact Andrew Segedin at segedin@northjersey.com
Source: www.northjersey.com