Muslim groups have demanded the withdrawal of a hard-hitting short film made to help tackle Islamophobic hate crimes, protesting that it promotes violence and fear.
The Martyrs, a four-minute film shot on location in west London in the wake of the Christchurch shootings, graphically dramatises three real-life Islamophobic crimes: a stabbing, an acid attack and the kicking in the stomach of a pregnant woman, leading to the death of her unborn twins. It was made by Rizwan Wadan, a camera technician who has worked on high-profile dramas such as The Favourite, Star Wars and Luther. He enlisted the help of leading cinematographers, camera operators, producers, stunt artists and film companies.
Wadan, 38, said: “Films produced in the past to tackle these issues are more like 1980s public information films. My films are designed to catch the eye: they are of the highest production standards, but their aim is to generate debate and dialogue. They are meant to be uncomfortable: these are uncomfortable issues. I have brought together some of the most experienced people in the industry, using the medium we know best, as a platform to get us all, Muslims and non-Muslims, to engage in this area.”
The film is set against the backdrop of “punish a Muslim day” last year, in which letters were sent to homes and businesses around the country, suggesting that people could win “points” for attacking Muslims.
Leading criticism of The Martyrs is Tell Mama, the organisation that monitors anti-Muslim hate crimes; the film has also been condemned by mosques and Muslim community organisations. Tell Mama’s founder, Fiyaz Mughal, said: “This film should be withdrawn immediately. Following the Christchurch attacks, there is a lot of fear among Muslims. The Martyrs just promotes this. Many Muslims will see it and be too afraid to go out. The film is unnecessarily sensationalist. It involves excellent film-making skills, but what use is this if all you are doing is spreading more intolerance and hatred?”
Tell Mama reported a 593% increase in anti-Muslim hate crime in the week after the Christchurch attacks. Mughal pointed out that in many cases non-Muslims intervened to help the victims, something not captured in The Martyrs.
He added: “You have three very hard-hitting stories within a short film. The vast majority of cases we deal with do not involve such viciousness. At the same time, many non-Muslims stand in solidarity with us and come to the aid of Muslims. Why is this not reflected? This film does not breed confidence, it does not promote any dialogue or unity, and it can actually encourage violence if watched by the wrong person.”
A second short film made by Wadan, No Religion In Terror, examines extremism, telling the story of a young Muslim man who carries out a terrorist attack and is then given a chance to change what he has done. It was made with a crew of 140 people, including 25 stunt performers and three camera teams, while the special effects are by a company that has done them for major productions such as Star Wars, Captain America and Men in Black.
Both films are due to be screened at film festivals and a number of cinemas this year. For Wadan, they are part of an overall campaign, The Error in Terror, which aims to encourage British Muslims to make films about issues affecting them. His eventual aim is to establish a British Muslim film institute.
He said: “Muslims always complain they are portrayed negatively by the film industry. My solution is for them to get involved – tell their own stories. You don’t have to like my films, but they are designed to have an impact.”
