*ADC CONVERSATION ARAB-AMERICAN DIRECTOR OMAR NAIM
Born in Lebanon to a journalist father and an actress mother, Omar Naim is a promising Arab-American director and writer in Hollywood that openly discusses his heritage. Although Naim acknowledges and embraces his culture, he refuses to be defined solely by it. Instead, it is his unique talent and often quirky prospective that has earned him the respect of Hollywood powerhouses like Robin Williams and Mira Sorvino, both of whom star in his new film “The Final Cut.” ADC spoke with Naim about his movie, life, and the film industry. To read the interview, please see:
https://www.adc.org/index.php?id=2369
*THOUGHTS ON MARCEL KHALIFE by SIWAR BANDAR
ADC Communications Coordinator Siwar Bandar recently met Marcel Khalife during his tour, co-sponsored by ADC, and she reflects on the meeting, the music, and the man. “What can I possibly say about Marcel Khalife that hasn’t already been said by multitudes of poets, writers, scholars, musicians, politicians and fans, who have dubbed him the Bob Dylan of the Middle East, a genius, an innovator, and a motivator? Of course, Khalife is all those things to many people across the world. However, what struck me at a reception in the Palestine Institute on November 9th was not his larger than life persona. Rather, it was his normality.” To read more, please see:
https://www.adc.org/index.php?id=2384
*OPEN CALL FOR ARABIC SPEAKING FEMALE SINGER
The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, DC is looking for an Arabic-speaking female who sings, who’s comfortable with heights, and who has some movement/dance experience for its upcoming production of “The Tempest” by Shakespeare. The production dates are February 8 – May 22, 2005. Union or Non-Union performers welcome. Please email a picture (a snapshot is fine) and a resume to vmathew@shakespearedc.org , or mail a picture and resume to: Casting – “The Tempest”, 516 8th St. SE, Washington, DC 20003. For information about the theatre company — http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/
*NEW YORK TIMES UPFRONT LOOKING FOR IRAQI-AMERICAN TEENAGER TO WRITE ESSAY ABOUT THE IRAQ WAR
The New York Times Upfront, a news magazine for teenagers co-published by The Times and Scholastic and circulated in high schools across the country, features personal essays by teenagers called “Voices.” The magazine is looking for an articulate Iraqi-American teenager who would like to write about the Iraq war from his/her perspective and how it feels to be Iraqi-American living in America under the current circumstances.
The essays need to be about 500 words long, and the teenager needs to be willing to have his/her picture run alongside the essay. (The New York Times Upfront requires the teenager and their parents to sign a contract giving Scholastic permission to publish the essay. The magazine will also pay $100 if the essay is published.) For examples of previous “Voices” essays go to www.upfrontmagazine.com and click on the “Voices” button on the left. Included are current essay and an archive of previous ones.
Please do not start writing anything before contacting the magazine directly. For questions, please email or phone Patricia Smith, Senior Editor, at 802-295-6612. (Please keep in mind that Ms. Smith doesn’t currently work on Thursdays or Fridays.)
Patricia Smith, Senior Editor, The New York Times Upfront
*OPEN CALL FOR EGYPTIAN WOMEN FOR VIDEO SERIES ON ARAB WOMEN
A Lebanese-American producer is working on an Arab women’s video series and is going to film in Egypt in January. The series is in Arabic and is to be distributed throughout the Arab world. The videos will feature young, professional Arab women to inspire and create positive role models for young women between the ages of 13 and 22.
The video series is looking for potential women to profile, especially women who live in Egypt. Please take a moment to look at the list below to see if you know of someone who might possess some or all of these qualities. For more information on the project, please visit www.kidzonline.org/mepi where you can glimpse some of the interviews (in English) conducted in Jordan and Lebanon last October under www.kidzonline.org/mepi/profiles/.
Essential Qualities:
Young (25-35) Arab women role models; Successful – someone our audience would aspire to be; Speaks native Arabic; Comes from an average background; Educated; Good communication skills; and Cheerful and energetic.
Non-essential Qualities:
Wives or mothers juggling work and family; Contributes to her field or her community in a meaningful way
Contact:
Rouane Itani (Project Director/Producer) at:
rouane@kidzonline.org
www.kidzonline.org/mepi
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