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Frontlines - Laos + It's My Country Too (Q&A with Ruhi Hamid)

Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at 7:30 PM (GMT)

London, United Kingdom

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Frontlines - Laos Ruhi Hamid chose Chong–Cha Lee to be her guide on a journey to the jungle and to be the intermediary during a meeting with the Hmong people, a community that has been hiding away from its persecutors, as well as the eyes of the entire world, for twenty years. It is also a community that needs to be discovered, so that it can be saved from famine and the consequences of untreated diseases. The secret village has been around since the end of the Vietnam War. At the end of the sixties, some of the inhabitants of Laos helped a secret American unit during the conflict. After the Pathet Lao’s victory, the US army left and its helpers became enemies of the state. For them, the war has not yet ended even after all this time, and continues every day. The filmmaker goes on a twenty–four hour journey to show how the activities of a democratic regime espousing a policy of helping others can have paradoxical consequences. She reveals that humanistic systems advocating freedom for all can, if they only consider their own freedom, become deceptive, as well as pointing out how world powers have opted to ignore the negative impacts of their own actions, in this case hidden in the impenetrable jungle. Throughout its length, her report is accompanied by a voice–over that patiently informs the audience about the issues at stake. The film culminates in a powerful scene when the crew meet the villagers, who have not seen anyone from the outside world for more than twenty years, capturing the astonished faces of members of the second and third generation who were born in this prison. The only sounds are those of weeping, tears flowing and the rustle of the jungle. Director: Ruhi Hamid Country of Production: UK Year of Production: 2005 Running Time: 29 min. PLUS Its My Country Too Since 9/11 the US is a changed country... especially for Muslims. Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions in the US. Yet one in four Americans regard Muslims living among them with suspicion. And what if you are an American and a Muslim? This World follows Salman Ahmed, founding member of successful rock band Junoon, as he explores what it means to be an American Muslim these days. Salman says: "I never thought about my religion in a sense that I have to explain it to the rest of the world." .But as non-Muslims search for answers, this is exactly what they seem to be asking of their fellow citizens. Salman talks to taxi drivers, students and law reform campaigners, including a mother whose desperate search for her Muslim son after 9/11 turned her into a political activist. He also speaks to a group of Muslim comics, a new force in the fight to combat mutual fear and suspicion. But, is there such a difference between American and Islamic values? Many would argue not. In fact, traditionally, the Muslim community have felt comfortable living in a country that puts so much emphasis on religion as an intrinsic part of politics. Salman's cousin Ali is a founding member of the website Muslims for Bush and admires the president's frequent references to God. "I want him to talk about God more often, I want him to bring in his Christian values, because those are values that most Muslims share." However, Ali now seems to be in the minority. In contrast to voting patterns in 2000, many American Muslims voted against a Republican administration in 2004. "Unlike some other parts of the world, where Muslims seem to see themselves just as victims," Salman says, "American Muslims are fighting for their rights, and blending Islam with the modern American identity." Director: Ruhi Hamid Year: 2005 October Films Running time: 59 mins