Americanish

2022 MEDIA AWARDS HONOREE | FILM

“As a whole, Americanish is able to speak about important topics with humor. Supported by a very convincing cast, the director creates authentic protagonists. The struggles all of them are confronted to start from the inside, but are forged by the society they live in"

ABOUT THE FILM

Americanish is a unique coming of age romantic comedy about three Pakistani American Muslim women who make life-changing decisions, while dealing with cultural and societal expectations. Career-driven sisters Maryam and Sam Khan, and their newly-immigrated cousin Ameera, work to navigate the conflicting demands of romance, culture, work, and family. This film digs into the turmoil of trying to honor and break cultural traditions as young Muslim women in Queens, New York, specifically with their mother, who doesn’t accommodate their values and career goals. Sam, Ameera, and Maryam ultimately take back ownership of their lives and decide what makes them happy.

Americanish Director Iman Zawahry holds many accolades and is one of the first hijabi American Muslim filmmakers in the nation. She joined Aizzah Fatimah, who stars in the film as Sam, in co-writing and co-producing this story, which was derived from Aizzah’s solo play, Dirty Paki Lingerie. Both Iman and Aizzah were determined to create a conversation around identity, sexuality, relationships, religion versus culture, racial profiling, and bullying. Americanish tackles controversial topics in a way that broader audiences can connect to and comprehend. Upon watching the film, audiences learn how issues of racism and discrimination impact these women’s lives on a daily basis.

Films written, directed and produced by Muslim women are sadly uncommon. Additionally, stories about Muslim women are rarely told by Muslim women. Cultural pressures stigmatize women not to pursue careers in the entertainment industry and performing arts. A film created, starring, and produced by Muslim women sets a new precedent for future artists and filmmakers. Americanish is exceptional in the sense that it speaks to significant political, cultural and Islamic topics through the lens of a romantic comedy. This film establishes that everyone has their own unique journey to tell and it is a story worth telling.