Things Arab Men Say
Movie · Documentary

Arab men worldwide are, for the most part, depicted by the mainstream media as terrorists, suicide bombers, or, at best, extremists. Things Arab Men Say, by Egyptian-born filmmaker Nisreen Baker, is an intimate and fascinating documentary that follows eight Arab Canadian friends who reveal a very different picture of Arab men. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, this insightful film introduces us to Jay, Ghassan, Faisal, Adnan, Falah, Bashar and Ramey as they gather at Jamal’s Barber Shop for a haircut, a shave, and a little conversation. Topics range from work and family to politics, race and, of course, religion. In the process, they address universal themes such as home, identity, and success, and ultimately, explore what it means to be an Arab in Canada. We discover how difficult it was for Ghassan, a “stateless” Palestinian, to find a country that would allow him to stay, and how Bashar can’t find decent work even though he has a Ph.D.-level education. We begin to understand the efforts these men—and their families—have made to integrate while simultaneously trying to preserve aspects of their identity and culture.

2016 · 52m
Starring Nisreen Baker
Director Nisreen Baker

Related

Cast & Crew

  • N‌B
    Nisreen Baker
    Self
  • N‌B
    Nisreen Baker
    Director

About

Things Arab Men Say

Documentary

Arab men worldwide are, for the most part, depicted by the mainstream media as terrorists, suicide bombers, or, at best, extremists. Things Arab Men Say, by Egyptian-born filmmaker Nisreen Baker, is an intimate and fascinating documentary that follows eight Arab Canadian friends who reveal a very different picture of Arab men. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, this insightful film introduces us to Jay, Ghassan, Faisal, Adnan, Falah, Bashar and Ramey as they gather at Jamal’s Barber Shop for a haircut, a shave, and a little conversation. Topics range from work and family to politics, race and, of course, religion. In the process, they address universal themes such as home, identity, and success, and ultimately, explore what it means to be an Arab in Canada. We discover how difficult it was for Ghassan, a “stateless” Palestinian, to find a country that would allow him to stay, and how Bashar can’t find decent work even though he has a Ph.D.-level education. We begin to understand the efforts these men—and their families—have made to integrate while simultaneously trying to preserve aspects of their identity and culture.

Information

Studio
National Film Board of Canada
Released
2016
Run Time
52 min
Region of Origin
Canada
© 2016 National Film Board Of Canada

Languages

Original Audio
English (Canada)
  • Français (Canada)
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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
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  • Nicaragua (Español)
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  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
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  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)