In 2012 the ICV Office for Women (together with the AFL Multicultural Program and the NRL) presented "Fordson" - a movie about an Arab-American high school football team from a working-class Detroit suburb as they practice for their big cross-town rivalry game during the last ten days of Ramadan. It's a wonderful documentary, made by the talented (and very kind and supportive) Rashid Ghazi.
The screening in Melbourne included a panel discussion on sport and faith featuring AFL multicultural ambassador Bachar Houli, American sports writer and broadcaster Ed Wyatt, and academic and journalist Nasya Bahfen (me, duh) moderated by AFL multicultural community ambassador Rana Hussain.
 |
| My eyes are shut. Classy, Bahfen. |
In Sydney I moderated the discussion, with NRL ambassador Hazem El Masri, Sydney-based Lebanon dual rugby union/rugby league player Walid Yassine, co-founder of the women's Aussie Rules football team the Auburn Tigers Amna Kara-Hassan, and Football United community coordinator Assmaah Helal. Rugby league, rugby union, Aussie Rules and football (soccer)...we just about covered everything.
Both events generated a lot of interest such as this SBS story on the Sydney screening by Suheil Damouny.
Ten Sport re-ran an AAP piece on the screening, the SMH wrote about it, and it was featured in an NRL report on the Sydney event. The Age mentioned it in passing in an article, as did Radio Australia (although I suppose that doesn't count, because I was working for them at the time and actually put that story online). In Victoria Rana Hussain was quoted in the AFL story about the screening.
A highlight of the Melbourne event was the presentation of awards for ‘Best and Fairest’ Aussie Rules players from the Bachar Houli Academy. They were: Mohammed Kassem, Adam Kassem, Adam El-Shahat, Mevlana Gokmen, Hamza Atik, Khaled Taha, Hamza Allouche, Salahaldin Ayoubi, Mohammed Moustafa, Muhammed Ates, Talat Moustafa, Abdullah Karagol, Zaffar Bajawray, Osman Alam, Zahid Safie, Zarak Aseel, Ahmad Ahmad, Rashid El Rafei, Yasser Ramaifi and Omar Eleter.
The boys were presented their awards by Bachar Houli himself and were also handed jerseys donated from the Richmond Football Club.
0 comments → Australian screenings of Fordson: Fasting Faith Football
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.