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Film Review: Americanish (2021) by Iman Zawahry

Americanish by Iman Zawahry
Americanish by Iman Zawahry © CAAMFest 2021
"Americanish" opts for a positive and harmonic outcome. The comedy spreads the hope for a peaceful and understanding coexistence of cultures and races

Iman Zawahry presented her first feature at this year's CAAMFest. Her intercultural comedy “” with a nearly all-female cast is fresh and funny. The director has won several awards for her shorts “Tough Crowd” (2008) and “Undercover” (2010). Zawahry is one of the first American-Muslim filmmakers who wears a hijabi. In “Americanish” she gives an insight into the muslim community in the US,she belongs to.

Sam and Maryam are sisters, both very ambitious. Sam works for a public relations company and is about to get a promotion as team leader. Maryam is studying to get into med school. Even though her mother is proud of them, she still holds on some traditional values. In Pakistan, family is the most important thing a woman has to achieve. Therefore, she wants her daughters to get married as soon as possible. Even though Maryam and Sam don't reject their origins, they have adapted to some of the freedoms a Western society offers. Chaos breaks out when their cousin Amira comes over from Pakistan to find a husband. Her idea is clear: she is looking for a Pakistani doctor who made his fortune in the US. She is confident, since America is, after all, the land where dreams come true. Before her prince charming actually comes along, she encounters a young black shop keeper. He seems to fit as a good friend, but does not “apply” to the standards Amira is searching for.

Most people with an immigration background will be able to relate to the dynamics between the characters. At some points, the dialogues and scenes are a bit cheesy and exaggerated. But as a whole “Americanish” is able to speak about important topics with humor. Supported by a very convincing cast, the director creates authentic protagonists. The struggles all of them are confronted to start from the inside, but are forged by the society they live in.

By its title, the film expresses the feeling that people living between different cultures resent. You might not be completely assimilated to where you live, but kind of. The protagonists of “Americanish” are of Pakistani origins, but in ways of thinking and habits are also kind of American. It's this falling between two stools that can be considered as the main theme of the film.

But Zawahry also talks about the concept of romantic love. Marriage can be a partnership of convenience and is a tradition not only in Muslim countries. Her protagonists dream of something else. They want to feel the real connection with their partners. Through the character of Maryam, the film raises also the question of the right of women to have a career. Maryam first is willing to sacrifice her own dream for the sake of her husband-to-be. Finally, she finds the courage to fight for her future.

, and who play the roles of Maryam, Ameera and Sam are very well orchestrated. Each of them gives to her character a particular depth. They prove to have an excellent sense of rhythm and transfer the comical part of the script without falling into slapstick. The fast pace and quick editing, done by Jesi Rojas, support the turbulent story on a formal level. Cinematographer Cloe Weaver uses both a hand camera aesthetic as well as a more static framing. All of these formal elements increase the entertaining character of the movie.

“Americanish” opts for a positive and harmonic outcome. The comedy spreads the hope for a peaceful and understanding coexistence of cultures and races. The joy and optimism it confronts us with are captivating, even though at times you feel captured in a fairy-tale. With the bright colors of the dresses and the décor, the film recalls the lively culture of Pakistan. In its style it reminds also a bit of the vitality of Bollywood movies.

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