The Artistic Director at the Asian Pacific Film Festival - Abe Ferrer - noted to me in passing at the DGA yesterday that it was a frustrating experience manning the door of the screening rooms during the week-long event.
“I had to turn forty-or-fifty people away last night because Taqwacores was sold out.”
Uh-huh!
I was one of the lucky filmgoers to get inside the door and catch the flick at a special screening.
When "The Taqwacores" lands distribution it’s going to do quite well at the Box Office at Art Film Houses around the country.
Earlier in the afternoon, I interviewed the director - Eyad Zahra - and two of the lead actors in the thought-provoking well-crafted narrative.
Taqwacores was lovingly adapted from the popular novel by the same name.
The lead character - Jusef - is an engineering student who takes up residency in Buffalo with a circle of Muslim punks.
Say what?
I know.
"Muslim Punk" seems like an oxymoron, or an incongruity of terms, eh?
Festival organizers describe the project with the tight intense script - written by talented Michael Muhammad Knight - as an up-close peek at young Muslims trying to come to grips with the complexities of practicing their faith in modern-day America.
Is there an ounce of truth to their yearnings?
To me, the potent message - that hit me smack dab in the forehead with all the impact of a sharp pick axe - appeared to be that religion across-the-board is fu**ed up (or capable of severely messing with your head).
One filmgoer's observation was also bang-on.
The twenty-something dude seemed to think that the characters were sincere about finding the answers, and in the final analysis, hopeful that they would be able to practice their faith in a manner that was acceptable to their philosophies, beliefs, and lifestyle.
The feature is stunning visually - in part due to the fact - Zahra facilitated the "red" camera.
The artsy-fartsy grainey "look" they caputured on celluloid suited the subject matter masterfully.
In fact, after having screened the potent narrative, I can't image any other approach that would have worked so compellingly.
The director chose a novel way to cast the picture, too.
After one notable casting director in Hollywood wailed that "Taqwacores" was uncastable, he went in another direction to secure his roster of talent.
Zahra plummed the Internet and rustled up his actors online.
The film was well-received at Sundance last year, and this weekend at the DGA, where the Asian Pacific Film Festival in Los Angeles was holding court.
Vancouver actor, Bobby Nadari, turned in a remarkable natural performance in a challenging role that doesn’t come down the pike too often.
I was particularly drawn to the female lead's performance, too.
In spite of the fact the lead actress - Noureen DeWulf - was forced to cover her face throughout the entire length of the movie according to the dictates of the Muslim tradition, she managed to captivate the audience by virtue of finely-honed acting techniques which managed to reach out in spite of the encumberances.
"I wanted to at least show my eyes," she noted in the interview session at the DGA (with Director Zahara and actor Naderi in tow) courtesy of the Asian Pacific Film Festival team.
The producers humored her, but said "no".
Those spell-binding peepers speak volumes, by the way.
The pretty petite lady also has a charismatic presence that suggests the river "runs deep".
The Taqwacores will be making the rounds of film festivals around the country in the near future.
Catch it if you can.
The Taqwacores is engrossing dazzling entertainment capable of transforming filmgoers.
Bobby Naderi stars in the Taqwacores!
