Ghazi Albuliwi
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Ghazi Albuliwi is a Jordanian-born American actor, best known for his 2013 film Peace After Marriage, which he wrote, acted in, and directed. He also worked on the film West Bank Brooklyn.[1]
Early life
Ghazi Albuliwi was born in Jordan and moved to Brooklyn as an infant. His mother is from a village near Haifa, Israel. He believed that his family had fled in 1948. He spoke Arabic at home and had friends who were Latino, African-American, and Italian. He started doing stand-up comedy when he was 17.[2]
Peace After Marriage
Ghazi Albulwi was inspired to make this film while sitting at a cafe in Jerusalem, trying to make a comedy. When he saw a group of Israelis laughing, he was inspired to do something to change the notions of someone who happens to be Arab.[1] Ghazi stated in an interview for the Huffington Post, "Call me idealistic, but at the moment, sitting near these Israelis, I said to myself, 'Write a movie where they would laugh and forget you were Arab.'"[1]
The film Peace After Marriage had its world premiere at the 2013 Abu Dhabi Film Festival. The film is about a Muslim Palestinian-American man in New York who marries an Israeli Jewish woman who is desperate for a Green Card.[1] On November 30, it was featured at the Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival.[1] According to The New York Times, Peace After Marriage is "a $1 million Turkish-French-American production that has picked up several festival awards".[2] Peace after Marriage won the "Best Script" award in 2010 when it went through the 'Tribecca All Access program' through the Tribecca Film Institute.[1] Additional funding came post-production; Good Lap Production helped him complete the music score.[1]
Hiam Abbass played the role of Albulwi's mother in the film.[1] Ghazi Albulwi was a finalist for the Nicholl Fellowship award given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Ghazi Albulwi was a finalist for his role as Arafat.[3]
Themes
Ghazi Albulwi is known for using themes relating to non-belonging in his works.[1]
When questioned about a solution for when the cultures clash with one another, Ghazi Albuwi stated, "Sexual jihad: one big orgy with the Arabs and the Jews, where we release all our hostilities, and I hope I’m right in the middle of it." After this humorous statement, some journalists ended up canceling the interviews.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "'Sexual Jihad': Peace After Marriage Premieres at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival". The Huffington Post. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ^ a b c Rudoren, Jodi (December 17, 2013). "Bridging the Mideast Divide With Comedy". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ^ "Academy Honors Aspiring Screenwriters With $35,000 Nicholl Fellowships". TheWrap. Retrieved November 8, 2015.