Things Arab Men Say

At a time when many Westerners faced with the reality of terrorism look upon all Arab men with suspicion or fear, Egyptian-born filmmaker Nisreen Baker offers a corrective by simply recording a friendly conversation among seven Arab-Canadian customers who have come for shaves and haircuts at Jamal's Barber Shop in Edmonton. The men—who have emigrated from Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, and Libya—discuss why and how they left their homelands. Ghassan, a Palestinian, describes himself as stateless, and relates how difficult it was to achieve permanent residence in any Western country. Nonetheless, Ghassan insists that Arabs must work to integrate into their new countries (the men here debate whether integration or assimilation should be the goal), while all agree that they and their families should also try to maintain aspects of the culture they left behind. Even so, the men who have returned to their homelands for visits—including Jamal—admit that they feel like foreigners. Inevitably, the discussion turns to incidents of discrimination experienced even in the welcoming Canadian society, and to religious divisions that persist, not only between Muslims and those of other faiths, but within the Muslim community itself. By turns poignant and funny—this is a jocular group—Things Arab Men Say illustrates both the diversity among Arab men, and how far removed they are from Western stereotypes. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)