Film underscores group’s mission of fighting against Islamophobia
NEW YORK – The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU), the global address for Muslim Jewish relations, and its president Rabbi Marc Schneier debuted the world premiere of “Jinn” at the prestigious SXSW film festival. The film underscores the organization’s mission of fighting against Islamophobia and anti-Muslim bigotry and its desire to share messages of tolerance and dialogue.
“Jinn” explores the themes of identity, religion and coming of age as it tells the story of Summer, a 17-year old black girl, whose world is turned upside down when her mother, a popular meteorologist named Jade, abruptly converts to Islam and becomes a different person, prompting Summer to reevaluate her identity. While Summer initially resists Islam, she eventually becomes drawn to its teachings, particularly around the “Jinn,” supernatural beings who occupy a parallel world and have free will, like humans. Summer soon realizes that the religion is more complex than she thought, and that people interpret it in different ways. Yet, Summer’s need to be free and untethered to any one way of being clashes with her mother’s strict interpretation of the faith and causes a growing rift between them.
The film’s prominent cast includes: Zoe Renee (“The Quad”), Simone Missick (“Luke Cage”), Kelvin Harrison, Jr. (“Monsters & Men,” “It Comes At Night”), Hisham Tawfiq (“The Blacklist”), Kelly Jenrette (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Here and Now”), Dorian Missick (“Southland,” “Animal Kingdom”), Ashlei Foushee (“Jane the Virgin”) and Maya Morales (“The Assault,” “Hello Cupid Reboot”).
Directed by Nijla Mu’min a young African-American Muslim creative, who is a recipient of the 2012 Princess Grace Foundation-Cary Grant Film Award and the 2016 first-prize winner of the Islamic Scholarship Fund’s Film Grant, Jinn was named as one of the 50 most anticipated American films of 2018 by Filmmaker Magazine. The film was produced in conjunction with FFEU Trustee Jason Kampf and actor and Foundation supporter Mike C. Manning.
“The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding has been working for almost three decades to strengthen cooperation between different communities, especially between Jews, Blacks and Muslims. We are always looking for new modes and modules to share our message of combating stereotypes and bigotry, notably toward Muslims, while helping them to take their narrative back and tell their own stories. We decided to produce this film specifically to relay these messages to the millennial audience, and are proud that the positive response to this film has been overwhelming.” said FFEU President Rabbi Marc Schneier.
Founded in 1989, the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding is the global address for Muslim-Jewish Relations and the national address for Black-Jewish relations. The organization is committed to the belief that direct dialogue between ethnic communities is the most effective path towards reconciliation. For more information, visit https://ffeu.org/.