It’s no secret that Muslims have been cast in a negative light in the media over the past decade. Amid terrorist attacks and social unrest, many have attached seemingly senseless acts of violence to Muslims, making them inextricably linked. Sadly, popular culture has done little in the way of providing a counter narrative to challenge these negative stereotypes. Worst yet, there seems to be no one chronicling the lives and culture of Muslims in Hollywood.
So where does that leave us?
For a group of ambitious organizers, it leaves them to creating opportunities for Muslim Americans to redefine their image in Hollywood as a way of rewriting the social scripts that have undermined their individuality and taken their culture hostage. The Muslim Public Affairs Council, a group that has long pushed for greater Muslim representation in Hollywood, is now creating opportunities for Muslim Americans to hone their screenwriting skills. The hope is that through a series of workshops, a new crop of screenwriters will be ready to reclaim control over the images disseminated of Muslim culture, The Washington Post reports.
In a similar vein, the program is geared toward displaying the complexity and diversity within the Muslim faith. As such, it includes people not just from predominately Islamic cultural backgrounds, but also those of diverse races that practice Islam.
But how receptive will Hollywood be to the new crop of screenwriters being groomed? No stranger to one-dimensional portrayals of ethnic, racial and social minorities, Hollywood is hardly a bastion of inclusion. The tide, however, appears to be changing for Muslims. Hollywood veterans believe there is a true demand for authentic Muslim stories, pointing to “Slumdog Millionaire” as an example. It remains to be seen, but with any luck, Hollywood will be willing to give Muslim culture its due close-up.
