Film Screening w/ Reception + Discussion:

"Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the International House at Duke University"

-- 6:30pm: Refreshments in the Levine Science Research Center (LSRC) Lobby

-- 7:00pm: Film screening in LSRC B101 (Love Auditorium)

--  Discussion to follow w/ Prof. Mbaye Lo (AMES)
    and Courtney Murray '15!

Excuse My French
(Amr Salama, 2014, 99 min, Egypt, in Arabic w/ English Subtitles, Color, DVD)

The latest film by Egyptian writer-director Amr Salama uses a comic coming-of-age story to focus a spotlight on social discrimination. A huge success at the domestic box office, this pastel-colored, snappily stylized movie follows 12-year-old Hany, a smart boy from a privileged Coptic Christian family, whose lifestyle changes dramatically following the unexpected death of his banker father. To help his insolvent mother, Hany leaves his expensive private academy to attend the local government-run public school, full of the sons of plumbers, barbers and security guards.

Chaotic and unruly, it's a shock to his system. After being mistaken for a Muslim, Hany plays along, seeking his classmates' acceptance by excelling in science, memorizing the Koran, scoring in their soccer game and singing the latest mahragan tune. But these successes can only postpone the lessons life inevitably has in store for him.

Ironically in light of the movie's success, Salama struggled for years to have his script accepted by Egypt's censorship board, reportedly because it could "damage the image of public education."

Cost: Free and open to the public.

Sponsors: The International House, Duke University Libraries, the Program in the Arts of the Moving Image (AMI), the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES), the Duke University Middle East Studies Center (DUMESC), Duke Chapel, and Voices of Interfaith Action.