TAQWACORE: THE BIRTH OF PUNK ISLAM
CDN/PA/USA 2009 – Director: Omar Majeed – Original language: English, Punjabi, Urdu – Subtitles: English – Length: 80 min.
Islam and punk don’t go together? A handful of young American Muslims would disagree. “Mohammad was a Punk Rocker” is the title of one of their songs and it encapsulates their set of beliefs. The Taqwacore movement was formed in the USA and takes its name from a 2003 book by Michael Mohammad Knight. It brought Muslim punks together. Taqwacore conveys their desire to unite their religion with their lifestyle. It is perhaps less surprising though that being devout does not suit them._The director Omar Majeed accompanies the Taqwacores on their first tour through USA and Pakistan. Parties and Ramadan, equal rights and supplication - the film plainly illustrates what happens when anarchy and Allah collide. Provocative, wild and genuine.
Writer: Omar Majeed. Camera: Mark Ellam, Zacharie Fay. Sound: Kyle Stanfield, Cory Rizos. Editing: Max Chalifoux, Omar Majeed. Music: Omar Wagar. Production: EyeSteelFilm. Producer: Daniel Cross, Mila Aung-Thwin.
