NYU Screening March 25th -- PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Amel Ahmed
email: Amel.Ahmed (at) gmail.com
phone: 718-613-9779

Justin Mashouf
WarringFactions.com
487 S Ogden Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Phone: 520-245-6079
http://WarringFactions.com
js.mashouf (at) gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Iranian-American Terror Suspect To Screen Iran Film at NYU
New York, NY -- March 25, 2009 -- Muslim-American filmmaker Justin Mashouf will be screening his feature documentary, "Warring Factions," on March 25th as a part of the annual New York University Shuruq Festival. 24 year old Mashouf will be screening the 70 minute documentary in addition to speaking about his experiences in Iran, his detention by Homeland Security and the confiscation of his video footage on suspicion of terrorism.

"Warring Factions" is Mashouf's first feature length documentary. Filming began in April 2007, capturing his experiences as a multi-ethnic Iranian American exploring his Muslim identity in a post 9/11 world. In the wake of rising international tensions, he is cornered into answering the question, "Where is your loyalty, America or Iran?" Shot in both countries, Mashouf's journey throughout the film uses his love for break dancing as a way of bridging an American culture with Iranian youth. Additionally, he becomes a student of the traditional Iranian martial art of "Varzesh Bastani" and seeks to understand the sentiments of the religious conservative generation of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

As voices in the Obama administration deliberate their official Iran policy and media outlets have fueled the perception of a nuclear standoff, "Warring Factions" is a call to (dis)arms. By combining documentary and studio reenactments, Mashouf looks at the blurring of world borders, and the looming threat of another war in the Middle East.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 25, 2009 AT 7:30PM

Where: Annual New York University Shuruq Festival
245 Sullivan Street
Furman Hall, room 214
(Furman Hall is located at 245 Sullivan Street, between Washington Square South and West Third Street. It is two blocks east of the West Fourth subway station (A,C, E, B, D, F and V lines). Minetta Parking is the nearest parking facility (122 W. 3rd St. between 6th Avenue and MacDougal St., 212-777-3530), however here is a link to additional nearby parking garages: http://www.nyu.edu/about/parking.html )

When: Wednesday March 25, 2009. 7:30pm

Justin will be available for interviews in New York City from March 23rd till March 30th

Contact:
Amel Ahmed
Amel.Ahmed (at) gmail.com
phone: 718-613-9779

Justin Mashouf
js.mashouf (at) gmail.com
Phone: 520-245-6079

Removing the Silence on Domestic Violence

I saw this today after I heard Sheikh Hamza Yusuf on NPR speaking about the recent beheading of the wife of the founder of Muslim TV station Bridges TV. The sermon itself is nothing new to be heard in Islam however, domestic violence in Muslim societies are plagued by cultural baggage and backward traditions that sometimes masks themselves as "Islam."

Sheikh Hamza's talk on NPR breaks it down fairly well in terms of cultures that will avoid "shame" by any means necessary, which is a dangerous and destructive behavior.

The dialogue is ongoing and needs to keep rolling.

A Music Video Worth Watching?

A++ from me for sure. I'm sure much of my having gone into film was from the hundreds of music videos I watched as a kid but to be honest, most music videos I see now are quite wack. Now that the main venue of distribution for music video is the internet, there is a loss of replay value like that of videos in the 90s. I remember slamming tapes into the VCR as fast as possible to record my favorite videos as they came on. It was unpredictable when the video would play so there was a constant checking of the channels waiting for that moment.

Now that music videos are readily available and are being made by every other YouTube user it is rare that one stands out enough to want to watch the whole thing and/or share with others. This is definitely one of the exceptions.

Bank Bailout Party Fund

This article made me so furious, I just about put all my savings in my mattress. This kind of irresponsible behavior should not be tolerated from a company that should be nationalized at this point.

.read more.

Hoochie music makes more hoochies?

"Listening to music with degrading sexual lyrics could prompt teenagers to start having sex at an earlier age, a US study suggests."

Why am I not surprised?

Big Time Busy

So it looks like Warring Factions will be screening at NYU in late March, God willing. The date is confirmed for March 25th so stay tuned for more news.

In the meantime check out some of my recent random reading materials.

Should All War Criminals Be Brought To Justice?

Is Google Making Us Stupid?

Iranian Music: An Unexplored Territory

Analyzing Visual Medias

Siftables Rock

Propaganda Before Our Feature Presentation

I saw this at the theater before seeing Slumdog Millionare Saturday night. I must say I lost my lunch a bit and couldn't help but heckling. I'm glad the theater was mostly comprised of South Asians.