Being Osama - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia

Being osama part 1 6

Being Osama is an award-winning documentary produced in 2004 by Tim Schwab and Mahmoud Kaabour. Director Mahmoud Kaabour is the founder and managing director of Veritas Films, now based in the United Arab Emirates. Co-director Tim Schwab is an Associate Professor of film at Concordia University.

Synopsis

The documentary details the lives of six Montreal Arab men, all with the first name "Osama":

Osama (Sam) Shalabi, of Egyptian origin, a music composer who grew up in Atlantic Canada. He is a leading member of the Montreal-based instrumental band, Shalabi Effect. He composed the soundtrack for Being Osama.

Ossama al-Sarraf (better known as Sultan), a Christian Palestinian-Canadian DJ who wears dreadlocks. He is one-half of the DJ duo Sultan + Ned Shepard.

Ossama el-Naggar, an Egyptian-Canadian musical expert and importer of opera and classical music CDs living in Canada for over 20 years

Osama el-Demerdash, an Egyptian, who is very politically active regarding issues surrounding immigrant rights and deportation of refugees

Oussama al-Jundi, a Lebanese-Canadian who runs a Muslim school in Montreal

Osama Dorias, an Iraqi-Canadian and devout Muslim whose family fled Saddam Hussein's regime while he will still a young child. His father has recently returned to Iraq and portrayed as a university graduate and a basketball player involved in organizing a Muslim basketball league in a Montreal suburb.

They all recount their experiences in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Reception and distribution

The film has been recognized as a contribution to the intellectual and artistic debate about the Arab diaspora. It has appeared on many international television, documentary and news channels.

Mahmoud Kaabour also presented it in a two-hour special on the Zaven Kouyoumdjian pan-Arab talk show “Seereh w Enfatahit” (Arabic,سيرة وانفتحت) on the Lebanese Future Television channel.