David Van Taylor and Brad Lichtenstein's Caught in the Crossfire offers a portrait of the difficulties faced by Arab-Americans in a post-9/11 environment, focusing on three people: Raghida Dergham, a journalist for an independent Arabic newspaper and regular contributor on CNN; Khader El-Yateem, pastor of the Salam Arabic Lutheran Church in Brooklyn; and Ahmed Nasser, a Yemeni native who is now a New York City police officer. Each of the subjects has been well chosen, and together their stories--told through a mosaic of episodes caught on the fly and excerpts from direct interviews--carry considerable punch, effectively capturing the tension between devotion to one's native culture and loyalty to the adopted country, a dichotomy particularly acute given the recent events of the past couple of years. Although not a very slick-looking production, the film's starkness actually adds to its power, while its timeliness--as America continues to align itself against predominantly Arab nations--cannot be overstated. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Caught in the Crossfire
(2002) 54 min. VHS: $298. First Run/Icarus Films. PPR. Color cover. Volume 18, Issue 4
Caught in the Crossfire
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