Activist San Diego Film Series

Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies An Entire People
Saturday, July 25th, 7:00pm
Joyce Beers Community Center
1230 Cleveland Ave., Hillcrest in the city of San Diego

Film Description:
This groundbreaking documentary dissects a slanderous aspect of cinematic history that has run virtually unchallenged from the earliest days of silent film to today's biggest Hollywood blockbusters. Featuring acclaimed author Dr. Jack Shaheen, the film explores a long line of degrading images of Arabs--from Bedouin bandits and submissive maidens to sinister sheikhs and gun-wielding "terrorists"--along the way offering devastating insights into the origin of these stereotypic images, their development at key points in US history, and why they matter so much today.


This film is an insightful analysis of the media representations of Arabs peoples in Hollywood. It succinctly shows how racism and ethnocentrism pervades in Hollywood as the industry plays on prejudicial stereotypes in order to maximize profits in our white supremacist social order. With much of its scrutiny focusing on media post 9/11, this film is a timely look at how representations in media can foster prejudice and cultivate fear.