Being Osama
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film production |
| Founder | Mahmoud Kaabour |
| Headquarters | United Arab Emirates |
Key people | Mahmoud Kaabour (Founder and Managing Director) |
Being Osama is a 2004 documentary that examines the transformations in the lives of men named "Osama" following the September 11 attacks.
The production was led by Tim Schwab and Mahmoud Kaabour, with Kaabour serving as the founder and managing director of Veritas Films, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates. Schwab, who co-directed the film, holds a position as an associate professor of film at Montreal's Concordia University.
Synopsis
This documentary presents the stories of six Arab men living in Montreal, each sharing the name "Osama":
- Osama (Sam) Shalabi, an Egyptian-Canadian composer and member of the Montreal-based group Shalabi Effect, who also created the film’s musical score.
- Ossama al-Sarraf, known professionally as Sultan, a Palestinian Christian Canadian DJ and one half of the DJ duo Sultan & Shepard.
- Ossama el-Naggar, an Egyptian-Canadian specialist and distributor of opera and classical music CDs, who has lived in Canada for over twenty years.
- Osama el-Demerdash, an Egyptian political advocate concentrating on immigrant rights and issues surrounding refugee deportation.
- Oussama al-Jundi, a Lebanese Canadian responsible for running a Muslim educational institution in Montreal.
- Osama Dorias, an Iraqi Canadian whose family escaped Saddam Hussein’s regime; his father has recently returned to Iraq. Dorias is active in organizing a Muslim basketball league within a suburb of Montreal.
Each individual recounts their experiences after 9/11, shedding light on the social and cultural repercussions faced by Arab Canadians sharing this name.
Reception and distribution
The documentary has been acknowledged as a valuable addition to intellectual and artistic conversations about the Arab diaspora.
Kaabour showcased the film during a two-hour feature on the pan-Arab talk show "Seereh w Enfatahit" (سيرة وانفتحت), hosted by Zaven Kouyoumdjian on Lebanon’s Future Television network.
Awards
Being Osama has earned multiple international honors, such as:
- Best Documentary at the University Film and Video Conference
- Best Documentary at the Big Muddy Film Festival hosted by Southern Illinois University
- Aurora Award for Best Documentary at the Canadian National Youth Film Festival
- Certificate of Merit from the Canadian Race Relations Foundation recognizing efforts against racism
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- Canadian documentary films
- Documentary films about racism in Canada
- Documentary films about the September 11 attacks
- 2004 films
- 2004 documentary films
- Arab-Canadian culture
- Documentary films about words and language
- Documentary films about Montreal
- Anti-Arabism in Canada
- Stereotypes of Arab people
- 2000s English-language films
- 2000s Canadian films
- English-language documentary films