Taqwacore (film)

Last updated
Taqwacore
Taqwacore-the-birth-of-punk-islam.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Omar Majeed
Written byDavid Oliveras
Produced by EyeSteelFilm
Mila Aung-Thwin
Daniel Cross
Starring Michael Muhammad Knight
The Kominas
Al Thawra
Vote Hezbollah
Secret Trial Five
Omar Pitras Waqar
Riz Ahmed
Cinematography Mark Ellam
Zachary Dylan Fay
Edited by Maxime Chalifoux
Omar Majeed
Music byOmar Pitras Waqar
Distributed by EyeSteelFilm
Release date
  • 19 October 2009 (2009-10-19)
Running time
80 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam is a 2009 documentary film, directed by Omar Majeed and produced by EyeSteelFilm, about various Taqwacore bands and performers touring the United States and Pakistan. The documentary was filmed between 2007 and 2009. It was pitched at the 2007 Sheffield Doc/Fest MeetMarket prior to completion.

Contents

Appearances

Many individuals are featured in the documentary, including:

Synopsis

The Pakistani punks The Kominas have arrived at the last stop of their first American tour and are celebrating with tourmates. Also appearing are the author Michael Muhammad Knight (The Taqwacores), Koroush (Vote Hezbollah), Sena (Secret Trial Five), Omar Pitras Waqar (Diacritical) and Marwan (Al-Thawra).

They incite a riot of young hijabi girls at ISNA, the largest Muslim gathering in North America, after Sena takes the stage. Omar Pitras Waqar leads the audience in a chant of "Stop the hate" these are lyrics from the anti-racist Diacritical song "Ignorance". As the police shut things down they escort the Kominas off stage the audience is heard chanting "PIGS ARE HARAM!" Actor Riz Ahmed is seen arguing with police and organizers off-stage about the censorship and police harassment.

The film then travels with Knight to Pakistan, where his friends (in a new band named after Noble Drew Ali) bring punk to the streets of Lahore and elsewhere in the region. Michael also begins to reconcile his fundamentalist past with the rebel he has now become.

Festivals

References

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