American Muslims: Facts vs. Fiction- A film about contemporary Muslims in America

A Film for PBS Learning Media from UPF

During the 2016 Presidential Campaign Season, candidates have each spoken about Muslims, some making sweeping statements. Candidate Donald Trump has called for a ban on Muslims entering the U.S. and while other Republican and Democratic candidates have criticized his position, what is missing from the discussion is meaningful data answering the most common questions about the Muslims already living in the United States: Who are they? What are their attitudes toward America? How do their values compare to those of other religious groups?

Unity Productions Foundation, a filmmaker for PBS, is pleased to offer you a new short film on the subject for your social studies classroom, appropriate for high school, college or university levels. The film has also been shown in hundreds of community centers, churches and government offices.

Entitled American Muslims: Facts v. Fiction, this 11-minute film uses research from The Gallup Organization, The Pew Forum, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, The U.S. Counterterrorism Center and other leading research organizations to address these questions while also explaining American Muslim contributions.

Standards of Learning Tie-In

Contemporary discussions regarding the First Amendment freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition.
Communicating with government officials, discussing current events and respecting differing opinions in a diverse society.
Understanding diversity, stereotypes and prejudice.

Educators have found the film to be a useful tool. Shenandoah University Professor Calvin Allen said the film was "impressive, the diversity of the Muslim community has been demonstrated well," while Marcelina Edwards of Boston Public Schools wanted to use the film to "create a safe-space for discussing resurfacing anti-immigrant sentiments." Government officials have also given the film good reviews. Most notably, former New Hampshire Governor and U.S. Chief of Staff John Sununu said the film "made an important contribution to understanding the reality of American Muslims."

Letter to Teachers and Teacher and Student Evaluation Forms

American Muslims Film Teacher Discussion Guide

UPF is offering the film at no cost for your social studies classroom/community gathering for people who review and complete a quick feedback form. You can preview the film and receive a complimentary DVD here:

Sign Up To Show this Film Free of Charge

Required fields are marked with a red asterisk *.

Your Name*
First Last
Your Email*
Your Phone*
In almost all cases, we'll communicate with you via email, but if we need to speak to you by telephone, please add the best phone number to use.
Your School, University or Organization*

Please list the main host organization or school. If you do not have a host organization, that's fine. Just let us know.
Your Event Description*
Tell us about your proposed event. For example, what's the purpose of the event? Other than you, who are the principal organizers? How many people do you expect to attend?
Approximately where and when do you plan to hold the screening?*

Example: 'my US history class,' or 'at the Pike County Library in March 2020'
Please choose the film you would like to screen*
Click on the drop down menu above to choose the film you would like to screen.
Can you stream the film at your screening location?*
- Yes
- No, I need the ability to download the film because internet service is slow or unavailable where I plan to show the film.
All of our films are available for immediate streaming via our website, and once your request is approved, we'll give you a coupon code that will waive all charges. Under special circumstances, we may be able to make a film available for download.
Do you want to have a trainer or speaker attend your event?
- Yes, I am interested in having a trainer from UPF.
- No, thank you. I do not need a speaker or trainer.
UPF can assist you with identifying an expert, either from the UPF team, or possibly an expert featured in the film.
Please provide your mailing address. Please note: this offer is only applicable to United States residents*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code

Submit a Film Review

We love feedback. We can't promise to include all submitted reviews on our site, but if you submit your review you're letting us include it in whole or in part. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk *.

Your Name*
First Last
Your Email*

We support Gravatars, so if you have a picture associated with the email you provide, we may in some circumstances display it.
Your Byline*

Your Byline can be something simple, such as your city and state, or something more sophisticated, such as a job title and an organization.
Which of Our Films Did You See?*
What Did You Think of the Film? (watch above)*
Tell us about your review. We're especially interested in the impact the film had on you and those around you.
Was there anything about American Muslims you learned that you didn't know before?*
Join Our Mailing List?
- Yes, I want to know what you're doing!
We'd love to keep you in the loop with what we're up to. We're not going to spam you, and it's easy to remove yourself from our list if you later opt to do that.
Comments
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Interviewees:

Luby Ismail- Founder, Connecting Cultures, LLC

Aisha Rahman- Executive Director, Karamah: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights

Saafir Rabb II- CEO, Interculture

Dalia Mogahed- Director of Research, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding

Mark Sageman – Author, Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the 21st Century

Eli Clifton - Co–Author, Fear Inc: The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America

Erin Miller – Program Manager, Global Terrorism Database

Tarek Elghwary – CEO, Coexist Foundation

Imam Mohammad Magid – Imam, ADAMS Center

Tarek El-Messidi – Founder, Celebrate Mercy

Crew:

Director – Alex Kronemer
Executive Producers – Alex Kronemer, Michael Wolfe
Producer– Daniel Tutt
Producer– Jawaad Abdul Rahman
Production Coordinator – Faiza El-Hibri
UPM – Jeremy Morrison
Director of Photography – Nick Gardner, Jeremy Hall
Gaffer – Steve Scott
1st AC – Jason Remeikis, Sunil Davadanam
2nd AC – Matthew MacIntyre
Grip – Danny Balsamo, Ashley Bensel
Sound Recordist – Alex Jennings
Makeup – Jessie, D’Angelo, Christine Wasilewski

Special Thanks to our Generous Sponsor:

Foundation for Intelligent Giving (FIG)

Photography Credits:

Inner-City Muslim Action Network

Jessica Censotti - Censotti Communications

IMANA Medical Relief SaveSmile Mission in Sudan