Friday, March 26

Pittsburgh Filmmakers-Melwood Screening Room

8:00PM
THE LETTER

THE LETTER

Director: Ziad H. Hamzeh
2003. USA. 75min. English and Arabic with English subtitles.
East Coast Premiere
8.00pm

THE LETTER explores what American news outlets have dubbed the "Somali invasion" of Lewiston, Maine, an insulated, predominately white former mill town struggling to maintain its equilibrium in a rapidly changing economy. Filmmaker Ziad H. Hamzeh probes the reactions of city officials and citizens to the sudden influx of 1,100 former Somali refugees who, deciding that Lewiston offers the best of all environments, choose to relocate there en masse in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy. A firestorm of controversy erupts when Lewiston Mayor Larry Raymond sends an open letter to the Somali elders advising them to tell other Somalis not to move into the city. THE LETTER documents the ensuing crosscurrents of emotions and events, including a "hate" rally convened by The World Church of the Creator and a counter "peace" rally involving nearly 4,000 Lewiston residents supporting ethnic and cultural diversity.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A discussion with remarks by Khadra Mohammed, co-founder, Pittsburgh Refugee Center.

Filmmakers/Distributors Contact Information:
Ziad H. Hamzeh (Director)
hamzehmystiquefilms@hotmail.com