Give as a gift
This program highlights narratives from the Arab diaspora in the United States, exploring questions of belonging, culture, family, and generational identity.
Yasser, a first generation Arab-American, is painstakingly apprehensive before his future All-American in-laws come over for dinner for the first time. When Ziad, his Palestinian immigrant father, prepares a traditional dinner, they negotiate the menu in a battle over tradition and assimilation.
Director Biography
Mustafa Eck grew up in a different city every year – each place unlike the last. Some cities include Cairo, Egypt Santa Cruz, CA to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Seattle, WA. He eventually came of age in a small tourist town nestled among the metaphysical red rocks of northern Arizona. He channeled his childhood angst and anxiety into cameras, making documentaries about skateboarding and skits with his friends. One of his first shorts became a finalist for the student academy award. Mustafa went on to study at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Film & Television Production. He is now the Senior Video Producer at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, where he produces and directs short films and documentaries. He is currently developing his first feature film within the Building Bridges fellowship at the Sundance Institute. The film centers on a first generation Arab American as he navigates the cultural divide between his immigrant dad and his fiancé family, leading up to their wedding.
Director's Statement
I grew up living between the US and the Middle East with an Egyptian mom and an American dad, with a foot in two different worlds. As a result of my unusual background, I have learned a lot of people and the way they think. My experiences have illuminated the idea that everyone is fighting a battle others know nothing about. If you approach someone with this mindset, you can almost always find common ground with them. As a filmmaker – and as a person in general – I am most interested in telling the stories of voiceless people who slip through the cracks. People who may be overlooked for one reason or another.
This program highlights narratives from the Arab diaspora in the United States, exploring questions of belonging, culture, family, and generational identity.
Yasser, a first generation Arab-American, is painstakingly apprehensive before his future All-American in-laws come over for dinner for the first time. When Ziad, his Palestinian immigrant father, prepares a traditional dinner, they negotiate the menu in a battle over tradition and assimilation.
Director Biography
Mustafa Eck grew up in a different city every year – each place unlike the last. Some cities include Cairo, Egypt Santa Cruz, CA to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Seattle, WA. He eventually came of age in a small tourist town nestled among the metaphysical red rocks of northern Arizona. He channeled his childhood angst and anxiety into cameras, making documentaries about skateboarding and skits with his friends. One of his first shorts became a finalist for the student academy award. Mustafa went on to study at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Film & Television Production. He is now the Senior Video Producer at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, where he produces and directs short films and documentaries. He is currently developing his first feature film within the Building Bridges fellowship at the Sundance Institute. The film centers on a first generation Arab American as he navigates the cultural divide between his immigrant dad and his fiancé family, leading up to their wedding.
Director's Statement
I grew up living between the US and the Middle East with an Egyptian mom and an American dad, with a foot in two different worlds. As a result of my unusual background, I have learned a lot of people and the way they think. My experiences have illuminated the idea that everyone is fighting a battle others know nothing about. If you approach someone with this mindset, you can almost always find common ground with them. As a filmmaker – and as a person in general – I am most interested in telling the stories of voiceless people who slip through the cracks. People who may be overlooked for one reason or another.