| Zwischen Rap und Ramadan: Junge Muslime in Freiburg |
| (Between Rap and Ramadan: Young Muslims in Freiburg) A documentary film by Margarethe Mehring-Fuchs & Stephan Laur; Music: Ro Kuijpers: (30 min., German with English subtitles) |
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| Young Muslims in Germany: In many cases they live in the area of conflict between traditional agendas and their modern everyday life--such as Malik, Meryem, Hamze, and Selma from Freiburg. The film provides insight into their life and ways of thinking and shows them as cosmopolitan people. "Better times will come, Allah willing--the world is out of whack, but I'm chilling. . ." sings the young rap artist MC Malik. The rapper from Freiburg with Afghani roots feels tied to the Islamic religion of his parents. But he's not a traditionalist and not at all a fundamentalist. Yet ever since September 11th, people look at him with suspicion. Is there perhaps a terrorist behind this face? It's similar for other youth who live in Freiburg. Take, for example, the student Meryem. She wears a headscarf and is deeply religious but takes liberties in interpreting her religion self-confidently and independently. The acting student Hamze is married to a German. Religious rules and regulations don't mean a lot to him in everyday life; he doesn't want to orient his life strictly according to the rules of Islam. The student Selma lives a life between disco dancing and Muslim traditions. On Saturday, she goes out with other girls her age and has fun at a disco, and in her room a poster of Rapper Tupac hangs right next to a picture of the Prophet.
Film screening & live hip hop and break dancing performances in Ann Arbor (FREE); Thurs., Sept. 28, 5:30 PM, Ann Arbor Neutral Zone, 310 E. Washington Street (performance intended for local teens, but free to the public, as well) Friday, Sept 29, 8:00 PM, University of Michigan Residential College, E.Q., corner Hill and E. University Across the street from the U-M School of Business. (Free and open to the public) |