My sister does this thing where she creates playlists for every season of her life. In part, it’s a way to keep track of all the music she came across over a given period of time so she can listen to all the songs easily, but every once in a while, she’ll go back to a playlist after some time and listen to it, almost as if she’s trying to embody that time of her life again. She’ll tell you that “2019: Winter” was a productive time in her life (full of One Direction songs and a few musicals thrown in for good measure) and that “2020: Summer” reminds her of quarantine, complete with songs from “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” and a good number of Big Time Rush ones as well.

It’s something like this that reminds me of how art can bring us back to moments in time, to varying periods in our own lives. When I think of “Avengers: Endgame,” for instance, I’m immediately transported to that April 25, 2019 evening show (the first show of the night), being in a crowd with so many other Marvel fans. People cheered and screamed and cried, and when I think about that movie or rewatch it, I’m reminded of that experience. Or when I listen to Taylor Swift’s evermore album, I remember that moment of waking up to her Instagram post and the wintry season that followed, with an album that encapsulated the seasonal vibes.

But what I’m most nostalgic about, most happy to remember, are those few pieces of art that instinctively, almost viscerally, remind me of certain people in my life. There are a ton, of course, but every so often there’s a specific song or a TV show or a book that, whenever I come back to it, I think of my family members. It’s proof that art is so naturally entangled, intertwined, in our everyday lives and the people that make us up. 

Father-Daughter Book Club: That time my dad dared me to read “War and Peace”

My dad started reading Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” one day, and I couldn’t tell you why. I’m not sure where it came from or who inspired it or anything like that, but all I know is that he started reading it, and once he finished it, he told me I couldn’t call myself an English major without reading this piece of renowned literature. (That always made me roll my eyes because the book was originally in Russian, but that’s not the point of this story.)

I told him I wasn’t eager to read a book that was, from my understanding, boring and sad and long. He just shrugged in response, before turning back to me and saying something to the effect of “I guess you can’t do it.”

That, of course, felt like a challenge.

And so, I succumbed. Not only did I agree to read it, but I told him that I would read it faster than he did.

And I did. Ten days later, I victoriously walked back up to him and shared my success. Never mind that I didn’t like the book or feel that my status as an English major would have been in danger if I hadn’t read it … He dared me to read it, so I did.

And now, when I think about “War and Peace,” I’m reminded of my father. 

I don’t focus on the book itself or the trying time I had reading it (I measured out the pages and made myself read about a hundred a day, powering through even when the book literally put me to sleep.) I don’t think about the plot — I’m not even sure I remember all that much that occurred. 

I think about his look of surprise and pride when I completed it and the conversations we had about it afterward. I remember the sense of accomplishment that I felt. I remember the feeling of satisfaction at having met his challenge head-on.

And, of course, I remember him looking back at me and saying “I guess you have to read ‘Anna Karenina’ next, now.”

I did read it, of course, because I felt challenged once again. How did I feel about it? Let’s just say Tolstoy isn’t for me.

“The Kitchen” and Our Kitchen: Food Network, my mom and me

I think it started a few Ramadans ago, when I was really young — maybe still in elementary school. 

For some reason, when we were fasting, my mom would watch Food Network shows. My sister always lamented, asking why she would torture herself at looking at food when we were still hours away from being able to eat, but I kind of understood. I would sit beside my mom and watch with her, feeling this weird sense of living vicariously through the chefs when they were eating, even though I had to wait until sunset to eat myself.

And from there, our relationship with cooking shows just grew. I loved watching “The Next Food Network Star” with her and making guesses at which contestant would come out on top. “Chopped” was another favorite, where we would judge the competitors harshly, even though we probably couldn’t do what they were doing. Quarantine was full of days and days spent on the sofa watching “The Great British Baking Show,” rolling our eyes at Paul Hollywood and making notes of all the things we wanted to bake ourselves.

And we did bake together — a lot. I don’t have much patience for cooking because there’s so much instinct and guesswork required, but I love the focus and meticulousness that baking requires. My mom and I would try various scone recipes, spend days baking different cookies and hunting for the perfect cake recipes.

All of this was, of course, supplemented by further Food Network watching — let’s call it research. One of our favorites to watch is “The Kitchen,” where some of Food Network’s best chefs come together almost like they’re on a talk show, chatting about recipes and working together to cook them for the expectant audience.

There’s this sense of hominess and coziness that radiates from the show, and that’s why we love it so much. We like to joke that the chefs are almost our friends, for how often we spend time watching them. 

It’s one of those shows that I couldn’t watch without thinking about my mom and something that would feel weird to watch without her. All those days spent bonding over cooking shows and baking together feel like undeniable evidence of our similarities, our relationship, and I feel nostalgic about it even when we’re still in the moment, on the sofa together, watching yet another episode.

Girl Power: How “Kim Possible” shaped me and my sister

I’ll be honest. There were a lot of things I could have picked that remind me of my sister. We’re only three years apart, so when it came to our childhood, we were pretty much always together — watching the same movies, tuning in to the same Disney Channel shows, reading the same books. And since we’ve gotten older, that’s only increased. Most of our conversations revolve around the media we’re consuming and how we feel about it. 

But, in many ways, it would have felt disingenuous to pick anything besides “Kim Possible.” 

Just recently, my sister and I were talking about how this show was probably what set us on the path toward feminism. That may sound ridiculous, but when we first watched it, we were at that formative age where art begins to mold you, and seeing Kim (Christy Carlson Romano, “Even Stevens”) as this cool, competent, awesome character was pivotal for us. She was this girl who could save the day and herself and her friends, and when you’re young girls watching a TV show, what more could you really ask for?

I’m not even ashamed to admit that we come back to “Kim Possible” all the time, even now. In fact, I think it was probably one of the first few shows we watched once Disney+ launched.

There are those episodes that we remember so much we could quote them — primarily ones that we had on DVD when we were kids and would watch in the back of our mom’s car. We call back to those popular catchphrases all the time — “what’s the sitch?”, “so not the drama” and “booyah,” to name a few. Even Kim’s twin brothers’ secret language saying was something we would often say to each other.

It’s rare to be able to come back to a show like that. Remembering some episodes but having no idea what others were about, because it’s been so many years since you’ve last seen it. It’s kind of amazing to be able to watch those episodes again like it’s the first time, and even when we watch older episodes again and again, there are new things that we notice. Things that went over our heads when we were younger. 

I almost feel like Kim grew up with us, and continues to grow up with us. Not because she actually does — she’s in high school throughout the entirety of the show, and we are sadly now much older than that — but because her capabilities and demeanor and attitude are things we still try to embody. 

She was probably the first female character that we ever really admired, the first one we tried to be like. And I don’t think that will ever stop. We may not be facing evil masterminds trying to take over the world (or, in Drakken’s (John DiMaggio, “Futurama”) case, evil guys who think they’re masterminds but really wouldn’t be anywhere without their sidekicks), but her values still stand. We’ll still hold on to what she’s taught us as we get older. 

That being said, my sister’s phone case looks like the Kimmunicator, and her text tone is the same as Kim’s, so maybe we haven’t really grown up at all.

The Only Thing I Like About Justin Bieber: “Baby” and my baby brother

“Baby” came out in 2010, right after my brother turned two. It stayed pretty popular though, so by the time he was really talking, the song was still pretty constantly played on the radio and on Disney Channel. 

I don’t remember why, exactly, but for some reason, my brother just really liked the song. When he was maybe three years old, with chubby cheeks and teeth still growing in, he would sing it all the time. Sing probably isn’t even the right word — he performed. 

There are numerous videos that we have of him performing this song, eyes closed and face scrunched up because he was living it. He was serious about it. And it was, quite literally, the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

As he got older, he didn’t care for it as much — probably because we loved to remind him of it and show him videos, and he was probably mortified. That didn’t stop us from continuing to play it around him or make him learn it on the piano. Actually, for whatever reason, my sister and I made him lip-sync it for us — complete with a dance routine — just a couple of years ago, over quarantine. Instead of a cute three-year-old, it was a surly teenager, but it was still so fun to watch. (My sister and I also made a special appearance, rapping in the vein of Ludacris, and we killed it, just in case anyone was wondering.)

I don’t often hear “Baby” on the radio anymore, considering it’s been more than a decade since it’s been released, but whenever it comes up on shuffle randomly, I think about my brother. He’s not even a baby anymore, but that song so aggressively reminds me of the time when he was a baby that it makes me miss that time of my life, of his life. 

There are songs that my brother likes much more now. He’s at the age where he’s acquiring his own music taste, accumulating the songs he likes and actually chooses to listen to, instead of being ‘forced’ to listen to mine and my sister’s music. And even though he likes other artists now — Queen, Michael Jackson, the oldies that I’m not even sure how he discovered — it’s always going to be “Baby” that reminds me of him. 

Art, memories, family: A conclusion

Things change with time, so I’m sure that I’ll continue to discover art that reminds me of the people in my life, but in some ways, these few things are pieces of art that I’ll always hold with me because of my family members. I may not love “War and Peace” and maybe I’m a tad too old for “Kim Possible,” but it doesn’t matter because the memories of experiencing these pieces of art are interwoven with the memories of experiencing them with my family members.

It’s a really amazing thing, to be able to open a book or flick the TV on or play a song and be immediately, instinctively, reminded of the people you love. And it’s even more wonderful to know that that will never stop or change. 

Daily Arts Writer Sabriya Imami can be reached at simami@umich.edu.

The post Memories and media: Remembering loved ones through art appeared first on The Michigan Daily.

“I grew up on Bollywood cinema and on Hong Kong kung fu, and they both have this shared … love of the spectacle,” screenwriter and director Nida Manzoor explained in an interview with The Michigan Daily.

Her film “Polite Society” embodies the concept of spectacle — it’s not just a movie, but rather an entire visual and aural experience. “Polite Society” is a whirlwind of color, action, comedy and heart. 

It’s simultaneously lighthearted and profound. There are comedic moments of levity between the two sisters at the heart of the story and also a more subtle satirical social commentary on misogyny in the movie. It features heart-stopping action sequences that fit hand in hand with unique twists on graceful, traditional Bollywood-style dance scenes. Its score calls back to sound effects that would be at home in a wrestling match and also includes the fast and furious drumbeat of more traditional Desi music. Everything is both in tune with each other and its exact opposite, epitomizing the concept of dichotomy. “Polite Society” exists in dualities, containing multitudes that will ensure viewers leave the theater satisfied. 

The film, first released at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, is primarily about Ria (Priya Kansara, “Bridgerton”), who wants nothing more than to be a stuntwoman in the vein of her hero Eunice Huthart. Ria’s closest confidante and best friend is her older sister Lena (Ritu Arya, “Red Notice”), and the film is an ode to their sisterhood. Their relationship is messy and crazy and intense, just as all sister relationships are. One scene finds them in a physical altercation, exaggerated to the point that they seem like boxers in a ring rather than sisters merely feuding. And for anyone that has a sister, you know that’s how real sisters exist: almost violent in all their interactions, both positive and negative. 

When Lena gives up on her artistic passion and finds herself instead taken by the neighborhood charmer Salim (Akshay Khanna, “Grace”), Ria is terrified that she is about to lose her sister to the daunting, exacting rishta process and marriage as a whole. From that moment on, Ria sets out to sabotage the burgeoning relationship between Lena and Salim, going as far as following Salim at the gym, planting dirt on him and breaking into his house. Needless to say, she goes a bit far. However, it soon becomes clear that she isn’t too far off in assuming the worst about Salim and his mother Raheela (Nimra Bucha, “Ms. Marvel”). As the events unfold, viewers get an idea of Ria’s vulnerability, an understanding of her hopes and fears: She just wants to see her sister by her side. The notion of Lena running off to Singapore with Salim is terrifying to her — to lose her best friend and biggest cheerleader in one fell swoop is something she just isn’t prepared for.

And while the sisters’ relationship is the heart of the movie, there’s so much more for viewers to enjoy. Set to the background of the rishta process and the somewhat archaic aspects of finding a suitable spouse in Desi culture, the film is also an eerily accurate, yet also satirical, commentary on misogyny and sexism. It hyperbolizes the issues at hand related to marriage, inflating them to a degree that makes it even easier to see what is wrong with how some people view women and expect them to behave. 

“(The movie) really resonates the kind of specificity of (Desi) culture,” Manzoor said. “I wrote it when I was in my early 20s, when I was really feeling the pressure from my parents to sort of settle down, not follow my career, get married, and I was really pissed off.” 

That innate rage, and the power that comes with it, is visible — almost tangible — in the film. It’s not surprising to note that “Polite Society” was somewhat inspired by things that Manzoor was really feeling, as it feels like an intimate portrait of a South Asian woman’s anger and confusion, her messy but real, true feelings. 

“I felt like I could feel a burden of … their expectation,” she admitted. “You know, as a young woman, you’re supposed to get married, you’re supposed to provide grandchildren or whatever, (but I thought), ‘No, man, I want to do other stuff.’” It’s because of this dichotomy between what was expected and what she really wanted that Manzoor decided to “basically take a hammer to” the stereotypes and expectations that existed. 

Manzoor created a film that effortlessly celebrates the specific experiences of South Asian women while also serving as a kind of blank slate for any woman to find solace and relatability. While there are moments where “Polite Society” brushes up against science fiction and contains some almost thriller-esque elements that are certainly less likely to be found in a woman’s real-life experiences, even these more far-fetched concepts become something to look toward for an understanding of womanhood. 

Between witty, at times almost dark, humor and aesthetic moments of color and wonder, the film touches on something real. A tale of sisterhood and womanhood, “Polite Society” is nothing short of magical. 

Daily Arts Writer Sabriya Imami can be reached at simami@umich.edu.

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I may not be a filmmaker, but I don’t think it should really be that hard to create a good romantic comedy. And I’m not saying that because the rom-com genre is “lesser than” other genres or so “simplistic” that it can’t be hard to create something “meaningless.” 

No, no — on the contrary, I love a good rom-com. And that’s why I know it shouldn’t be hard to create one: because so many good ones have been made in the past. From “You’ve Got Mail” to “Clueless” to “How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” rom-com history has been made, time and time again. Those classics are the movies that people all over the world turn to in their times of need, cuddled under blankets with popcorn or ice cream as their staunch companions. Older stories or more modern ones — it doesn’t matter. As long as you have the heart, you have the movie.

“Love Again” does not have the heart.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas (“Baywatch”) stars as Mira, a woman who’s having a hard time with love after the death of her boyfriend. In theory, that would make her an almost instantly sympathetic character. However, the opening scene of the movie features Mira and her boyfriend John (Arinzé Kene, “The Pass”) just seconds before his untimely death (he gets hit by a car in broad daylight right in front of her; I am not making this up). The few seconds of their relationship that viewers see are not enough to offset the absurdity of John’s death, especially considering the sheer lack of emotion gracing Mira’s face as he died. In fact, had we never met John, never seen Mira’s lack of reaction to his death, we might have been better off — she might have been a more believable mourner. But that’s not the case. In short, the movie starts off poorly and doesn’t get much better. 

The film picks up two years after John’s death, with Mira deciding to text him as her way of coping with his death. Enter the plot: Rob Burns (Sam Heughan, “Outlander”), a music journalist, starts getting mysterious texts to his new work phone. We’ve got all the makings of a rom-com, sure, but it doesn’t hit. It doesn’t work.

A good rom-com needs two characters that are easy to root for, both separately and together. Mira and Rob are both shockingly one-dimensional characters individually and have zero chemistry, making them similarly uninteresting as a couple. This feels like such a disappointment, such a failure, on the part of the filmmakers — how can you make a rom-com with a couple that has zero chemistry? The main thing they bond over is sneakers. … That’s what half their conversations are about. Not to mention, their first interaction takes place an hour into the film, ensuring that there simply isn’t enough time to see them together for the audience to find them believable.

One of the only shining moments in the movie is when, out of nowhere, Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ real-life husband makes a cameo. Yes, Nick Jonas (“Camp Rock”) appears in this movie. He plays a guy that Mira meets on a dating app, and he’s a terrible date, going so far as looking for a new girl on his dating app even as they sit in the car together. It’s not really even his character that’s funny, though, so much as the fact that this married couple is depicting a pair of characters who could not be more wrong for each other. The context of their real marriage within this not-so-romantic movie is a point of hilarity — I’ll give it that much. 

Besides that, there isn’t much else of humor, much less substance, in the movie. Céline Dion (“Muppets Most Wanted”) plays herself in what is truly a bizarrely large role for such a weak film; she serves as a sort of love guru for Rob, offering sage advice and wisdom of the heart when he needs it most. Dion isn’t bad at all, but her presence and role just feel random and out of place. Her songs do offer some moments of brief respite in a movie that is otherwise uninteresting at best and mind-numbing at worst. 

The credits are actually the best part, with the actors all dramatically lip-syncing to Dion’s hit “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” Heughan even appears on a hillside wearing an “I Heart Céline” shirt and a matching kilt. Seriously, I’m not making this up.

In short — don’t go see “Love Again.” There are so many better offerings in the rom-com genre that deserve love, respect, admiration and most importantly, your time. 

And look, if you just want a healthy dose of Céline Dion, stream “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” Don’t put yourself through watching this film. It’s just not worth it.

Daily Arts Writer Sabriya Imami can be reached at simami@umich.edu.

The post The best part of ‘Love Again’ is the credits appeared first on The Michigan Daily.

Considering how much I loved Uzma Jalaluddin’s last two books, I was thrilled when she announced a new book, coming out in the summer of 2023. Just as her debut, “Ayesha at Last,” was a loose retelling of “Pride and Prejudice” and her sophomore novel, “Hana Khan Carries On,” was a loose retelling of “You’ve Got Mail,” this newest book, “Much Ado About Nada,” takes a classic love story and turns it on its head with a modest, modern and Muslim twist. The classic story isn’t Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” as you might guess from the title — instead, Jalaluddin turned to a different Jane Austen novel, “Persuasion,” and created another stellar work. 

“Much Ado About Nada” features protagonist Nada Syed as she is reluctantly dragged to an Islamic conference in Canada by her headstrong, confident best friend, Haleema. Her friend thinks she wants to avoid the conference because she’s hesitant to see her old mentor who betrayed her and because she’s not exactly excited by the prospect of a matrimonial dinner (think speed dating but for Muslims). While both of those things are somewhat true, the real reason Nada’s avoiding the Deen&Dunya conference is because she knows she’s going to meet Haleema’s fiancé … and re-meet his brother, Baz, who Nada once had a strong connection with — though that’s a secret she had been keeping for the past few years.

Jalaluddin succeeded in once again creating a three-dimensional female Muslim protagonist in Nada. She’s smart, strong and devout — she’s real. She’s also flawed, but that just makes her more authentic. When the truth comes out about how Nada and Baz once knew each other about halfway into the book, the depth of Nada’s imperfections comes to light. At times, I found myself bemoaning her actions and wondering how and why she came to the decisions that she did, but even when I was frustrated with Nada as a person, I found her fascinating as a character. 

The other characters, like Haleema, Baz and Nada’s family members, all add to the story in considerable ways. Haleema’s outgoing personality nicely balances Nada’s more quietly sarcastic tendencies. Baz is exactly what you would want from a mysterious “second chance” love interest. Nada’s parents are typical Desi parents, wanting what’s best for their children but not always agreeing with them about what that means. In other words, these side characters make the story more complex and interesting, while also allowing readers to see Nada through others’ eyes. 

The best part of “Much Ado About Nada” is that, unlike some romance novels, the “80 percent breakup” isn’t really the turning point of the book. Most romances feature this “80 percent breakup,” where the love interests have some kind of falling out that leads to a period of separation just before the happily ever after we’re all expecting. The falling out still happens, in a way, but the real turning point in Nada’s story is about her. She had faced a huge career setback prior to the events of the novel, and the emotional crux of the story is when she really takes hold of her own narrative and moves forward from the stagnant state she was wallowing in. In her actions, she encapsulates what a Muslim feminist should look like — she’s confident in her own abilities but turns to her faith and her community in times of need. 

“Much Ado About Nada” is another spectacular showing from Uzma Jalaluddin. The romantic drama will keep readers’ attention and ensure that they’re turning the pages, but in the end, the heart of the story is Nada’s growth as an individual. And when you close the book after reading those last words, it’s Nada’s strength and persistence that you’ll remember and take with you. 

Daily Arts Writer Sabriya Imami can be reached at simami@umich.edu.

The post ‘Much Ado About Nada’: An Islamic spin on a classic love story appeared first on The Michigan Daily.

These days, filmmakers feel like they need to reinvent the wheel. Everything needs to be bigger and better. If something is predictable, it’s pointless. If something is cliché, it’s not worth it. If something is formulaic, why bother? 

But you know what? Sometimes, leaning into a formula and succumbing to what you know will work … actually works. 

“Murder Mystery 2” follows action comedy tropes beat-by-beat. You’ve got your unlikely hero and heroine in Nick (Adam Sandler, “The Wedding Singer”) and Audrey Spitz (Jennifer Aniston, “Friends”). There are ridiculous but fun action scenes — like jumping out of a burning building into a moat — set to slow, operatic French music. And don’t forget the classic locked-room mystery slew of suspects.

We’ve seen this film before, and yet, even when the film’s general course is predictable, it still finds its ways to be surprising. Whether it’s suspect after suspect getting shot at, blown up or knocked out, or Nick and Audrey’s hilarious conversations that never stay on track, even when they’re held at gunpoint, there are some things that you just don’t expect. The balance between a somewhat predictable plot and unpredictable moments of humor makes “Murder Mystery 2” thrive. 

In this film, Nick and Audrey are busy creating their own detective agency after the events of “Murder Mystery” when they are invited to their friend the Maharajah’s (Adeel Akhtar, “Enola Holmes”) wedding. Once they get there, things don’t go as planned. The Maharajah is kidnapped, and everyone’s a suspect. The Spitzes name themselves this mystery’s investigators — after all, they didn’t do too bad of a job the first time. As they attempt to track down their friend, they end up negotiating with kidnappers, driving into restaurants and fighting a group of thugs at the top of the Eiffel Tower. So, you know … just a typical wedding. 

The first “Murder Mystery” film came out in 2019, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic forced us into quarantine, and even though I barely remembered the first film’s plot, the sequel never failed to keep my attention. The funniest part of the movie is a scene in which Nick and Audrey are held hostage in a van in France, wreaking havoc on the streets of Paris while trying to avoid being killed by an axe-wielding kidnapper. Sure, it isn’t exactly realistic, but who’s looking for realism when watching a murder mystery? You want a plot that will keep you guessing, even amid some formulaic moments, and likable protagonists you can root for. Nick and Audrey aren’t Hercule Poirot, Benoit Blanc or Sherlock Holmes; they’re messy, flawed and utterly incapable of doing the right thing at the right moment, but that’s what makes them so much fun to watch.

The whole movie works because Sandler and Aniston are so good at their jobs. It can be hard to make films with such big-name actors because the audience is bound to see them as either their celebrity selves or as their most iconic roles. We might think, “Well, there’s Rachel from ‘Friends’ hanging off the Eiffel Tower … not sure if I buy that.” But Sandler and Aniston embody their characters so well that you forget you’ve seen them in so many other roles; it feels like they were made to portray Nick and Audrey Spitz. 

My point is this: “Murder Mystery 2” isn’t a deep, thoughtful mystery that will leave you kicking yourself, wondering just how you didn’t see that ending coming — but it will have you laughing until you can’t breathe and itching for Netflix to release a third installment starring the Spitzes.

Daily Arts Writer Sabriya Imami can be reached at simami@umich.edu.

The post ‘Murder Mystery 2’ doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and that’s okay appeared first on The Michigan Daily.

To many readers, BookTokers and Michigan Daily Arts writers, Emily Henry is the unquestionable queen of romance. With her complex characters and deep storylines, she masterfully weaves together romance novels that entertain readers and set romantic expectations very high.

Her upcoming novel “Happy Place” is one of the most anticipated books of 2023, which is no surprise after the success of her past three novels — the most recent of which won the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards for the romance genre.

“Happy Place” is a second-chance romance, where protagonist Harriet and her love interest Wyn are reunited at their friend’s summer house shortly after breaking off their engagement. Their friends are unaware of their breakup, and after receiving upsetting news from their friend group, Harriet and Wyn agree to maintain the facade of their engagement for the course of their vacation so as not to disappoint their friends further. What does that mean? It means that they undertake the classic fake relationship trope. Unsurprisingly, the book follows them as they find their way back to one another.

Similar to her second novel, “People We Meet on Vacation,” “Happy Place” has a dual timeline — we read chapters of Harriet in her “happy place” (moments of time in the past when she and Wyn are happy together) and chapters of “real life” (present day, where Harriet, Wyn and their friends are all struggling with various secrets). This format keeps readers eager to continue reading; in particular, we get little hints here and there about why Harriet and Wyn break up, but it takes reading both past and present storylines to get the full picture and understand just what went down between the two characters.

In a departure from her previous novels, “Happy Place” features far more side characters than readers might typically expect from a Henry novel. “Beach Read” was very insular, focusing primarily on January and Gus, and “People We Meet on Vacation” had a few side characters, but none of them were very important. “Book Lovers” featured a primary character beyond the main couple (Nora’s sister Libby), but “Happy Place” has an entire friend group that frequently appears on the page. The inclusion of a friend group was ingenious — it allowed readers to get a deeper understanding of the characters and the evolution of all their relationships with one another. As a result, we immediately feel more connected to the characters — Harriet in particular. Harriet’s relationship with her best friends Sabrina and Cleo especially adds to her own characterization; she becomes so much more than just another romantic lead when we understand her past and why her friends are like her family.

In terms of the romance, Harriet and Wyn are complicated. Wyn is unlike most of Henry’s literary love interests. He holds a lot of responsibility for their breakup, and that can make it difficult to feel sympathy or forgiveness toward him. In fact, he has a lot to make up for. When reading, I was wholly on Harriet’s side, unsure whether Wyn’s actions would make up for the heartbreak she’s feeling. That being said, in true Henry fashion, both characters make sacrifices for one another and learn more about themselves and each other on the road to repairing their relationship.

In many ways, even if romance isn’t always your preferred genre, Henry’s “Happy Place” should still capture your attention. Her focus on creating detailed characters and pure, platonic friendships contributes to a feel-good book. And if you do like romance, “Happy Place” will certainly be another Henry story that goes down in history. 

Daily Arts Writer Sabriya Imami can be reached at simami@umich.edu.

The post Find your ‘Happy Place’ with Emily Henry appeared first on The Michigan Daily.

The Michigan Daily Arts writers virtually covered The 95th Academy Awards. Like in 2021, we had access to the Virtual Press Room where award winners answered questions, commented on their excitement and spoke directly to the press. Here are some of our favorite moments from the night. Find the full list of 2023 Oscar winners here, and see the Film Beat’s Oscar predictions here.

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” was, in fact, everywhere

Exactly a year after premiering at the South by Southwest film festival, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s (“Swiss Army Man”) multiverse action-comedy “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (“EEAAO”) swept the Oscars. This was expected — the film has seen success throughout this year’s awards circuit. On Sunday night, the film took home seven of the 11 awards for which it was nominated. The directing duo, known as “Daniels,” took the stage for Best Directing, Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. They, along with “EEAAO” producer Jonathan Wang (“Swiss Army Man”), talked with the press backstage about everything from their parents to special effects to mental health. Kwan called the film “a shotgun blast of joy and absurdity and creativity” and spoke about how powerful creativity can be in dark times, saying, “I really hope that the next generation can watch a movie like ours and (see) there’s another way to look at the bleakness … and face it head on.”

“EEAAO” also won three of the four big acting awards: Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress. Michelle Yeoh (“Crazy Rich Asians”) was the epitome of grace after winning Best Actress for her role as Evelyn Wang. In her acceptance speech, she dedicated her award to her mom and all mothers of the world, and told all the women watching to “never let anyone tell you you’re past your prime!” She smiled and laughed while answering reporters’ questions. She joked that her mom asked her not to wear pants to the ceremony, but said, “I think what mothers do is they’re constantly reminding you to be better, and they do it with love … (because they) want you to be better so you have more opportunities and you will have a better life.” 

When asked to say something in Chinese to the Asian community, Yeoh gave a simple response, translated to: “To all the Asian communities, we are seen; we are heard; we have a seat at the table.” Yeoh then poked fun at the press with a grin, saying, “My Mandarin isn’t very good … but you all wouldn’t know that, would you?”

Comeback Stories

It was hard not to tear up during Ke Huy Quan’s emotional Best Supporting Actor acceptance speech for his role in “EEAAO.” He spoke about his return to acting, saying that “dreams are something you have to believe in. I almost gave up on mine. … Thank you for welcoming me back.” 

That emotion turned into full-blown excitement by the end of the night — Quan was literally bouncing off the walls in the Virtual Press Room, a moment even more adorable than when he hugged Harrison Ford while onstage to accept the award for Best Picture. He told the press about a moment during a commercial break that he shared with Steven Spielberg, with whom he had worked as a child on “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Goonies”: “He gave me a big hug and said, ‘Ke, you are now an Oscar-winning actor.’ Hearing him say that meant the world to me, and I still cannot believe it.”

Brendan Fraser has also had a strong comeback this year. His performance as Charlie in “The Whale” was his first leading film role in almost a decade, and he was just as shocked as Quan when he won the award for Best Actor, telling the press that “I heard my name, but I thought ‘that can’t be right.’ ” The Oscar trophy was heavier than he expected, and he joked that it would make one of his arms longer than the other. Fraser’s performance had been favored to win, and is especially notable given that “The Whale” was not nominated for Best Picture. Backstage, Fraser said his comeback story has given him “a lesson in humility and gratitude.” He ended his time backstage by thanking fans on the internet for rooting for him in his return to the silver screen, saying “I hope that I live up to this.”

Ruth E. Carter makes history with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

Ruth E. Carter, the costume designer for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” made history on Oscar night when she became the first Black woman to win multiple Oscars. She won the Costume Design award for the original “Black Panther” film and, now, for its sequel. This win is indicative of the power “Black Panther” has. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a successful franchise in its own right, but “Black Panther” stands out for its focus on representing the Black community. In her acceptance speech, Carter pointed out the power of the Black community, and Black women especially. 

“Thank you to the Academy for recognizing the superhero that is a Black woman,” she said. We all see the superheroes on the screen but often forget the real people, from film editors to sound technicians to costume designers, who make it all happen. 

The main job of a costume designer, according to Carter, is supporting the movie. She explained in the Virtual Press Room that “(when creating costumes), it’s about storytelling. You don’t want to distract (from the movie itself) … you want to support.” She discussed Queen Ramonda’s (Angela Bassett, “Strange Days”) costume in particular. Carter and her team thought about everything — they added more vibranium to Ramonda’s costume to emphasize her status as a Wakandan ruler, they decked her out in purple and gold to symbolize her royal status as she entered the U.N., and they showed off her arms in a one-shouldered dress. 

“The exposed shoulder shows her strength because, you know, Angela, she got those guns, right?” Carter said. “So we exposed her arms … to show, you know, how beautiful women can be, how (she can be) strong and vulnerable at the same time, but also can lead a nation.”

Carter herself represents the film’s message — how enduring and strong the Black community is. 

“I pulled myself up from my bootstraps,” Carter said. “I studied, I scraped … I dealt with adversity in the industry that sometimes didn’t look like me. And I endured.” Like Queen Ramonda endured after losing T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman, “Avengers: Infinity War”), like the filmmakers endured after losing Chadwick Boseman, she endured. She succeeded by showing Hollywood, the Academy and the world what she was capable of.

“I feel that this win opens the door for other young costume designers that … may not think that this industry is for them,” she said. “Hopefully they will see me, and they will see my story, and they will think that they can win an Oscar too.”

Five out of nine Best Picture nominees went home empty-handed

The nominees for Best Picture included “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Elvis,” “The Fabelmans,” “Tár,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Triangle of Sadness,” “Women Talking” and “EEAAO,” which took home the big prize. Five out of the nine nominees were awarded nothing. 

Daniel Kwan, one of the directors of “EEAAO,” tweeted “No movie deserves to sweep” the day before the Oscars. Although “EEAAO” did deserve every award it won, “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Tár,” “The Fabelmans” and “Babylon” look most curious empty-handed. “Babylon,” ignored and neglected in nearly every other category, seemed to be the sure winner for Best Original Score. When “All Quiet on the Western Front” was announced for this award on Sunday night, I could feel Film Twitter start to shake. If Justin Hurwitz (“La La Land”) had taken a hiatus this year, Volker Bertelmann’s (“Ammonite”) win would not have raised eyebrows, but Hurwitz’s epic “Babylon” masterpiece outshines the inventive but familiar sound of the war story. 

As for “Tár,” Cate Blanchett — a two-time Academy Award winner — lost Best Actress to Yeoh. Blanchett delivered the performance of a lifetime, but so did Yeoh. “Tár” more notably lost Best Cinematography to the deceptively unthreatening “All Quiet.” Despite high praise from critics and cinema legend Martin Scorsese (“The Irishman”), “Tár” could not tempt the Academy. 

Martin McDonagh’s “The Banshees of Inisherin” and Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” faded into the background with “Tár,” “Babylon,” “Elvis” and “Triangle of Sadness” while “EEAAO” and “All Quiet” dominated the awards. The lesson to take from this year’s Oscars is that there will always be incredible films and filmmakers that don’t get the recognition they deserve. If some of Hollywood’s most prominent had not brought attention to ​​Andrea Riseborough’s outstanding performance in the limitedly released “To Leslie,” the Academy would not have nominated her. If “EEAAO” had not found a place in the hearts of so many, it likely would not have dominated the awards season as it rightfully did.

“All Quiet on the Western Front” was anything but quiet

“All Quiet on the Western Front” was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Original Score and Best International Feature Film. It now sits tied with films such as “Parasite” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” as the foreign language film with the most Oscar wins after Sunday night. The German World War I film, which also won seven BAFTAs, has been making the rounds on the awards circuit for its distinct anti-war sentiments and focus “on the futility of war” rather than glamorizing it. Director Edward Berger noted in his backstage interview after winning Best International Feature Film that they “tried to make a film about our past” but finished with a film “about our present,” subsequently remarking that “new terrors … had broken out that we never thought would again in Europe,” in reference to the Ukraine crisis.

“All Quiet” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before going straight to Netflix. It has now achieved notoriety despite being foreign and coming from somewhat humble beginnings. When asked about the importance of the achievements of “All Quiet” for the German film community, Berger told the press that “if a German film goes to Cannes, it’s going to be a push. And if a German film is at the Oscars, it’s going to be a push for the other films.” He spoke about feeling inferior as a German filmmaker and the responsibility that the film now carries after its awards sweep, imploring other filmmakers to use “All Quiet” as inspiration to “just do it … just do our movies.” 

Some of our favorite quotes from this year’s Academy Awards

When accepting his Best Supporting Actor award, Quan joyfully exclaimed, “Mom, I just won an Oscar!”

Later, in the press room, Quan reiterated his excitement: “Can you believe I’m holding one of these?”

In the Virtual Press Room, Jamie Lee Curtis called for more female representation in Hollywood by referencing her film’s title, saying that Hollywood should include “Basically, just fucking more women anywhere, anytime, all at once.”

“At this point in the show you miss the slapping a little,” Jimmy Kimmel joked during the award show, referencing last year’s highly controversial but extremely memorable slap.

“I recently directed the film Cocaine Bear,” Elizabeth Banks said, when announcing the Best Visual Effects award … with a bear.

John Travolta honored his late “Grease” co-star Olivia Newton-John — and all other Hollywood figures who have passed away — when introducing the “In Memoriam” tribute: “They’ve touched our hearts, they’ve made us smile and became dear friends who we will always remain hopelessly devoted to.” 

“Tonight we freaking broke that glass ceiling,” Yeoh remarked in the Virtual Press Room when thanking the Academy “for acknowledging, embracing diversity and true representation.”

When onstage with the rest of the “EEAAO” cast accepting the Best Picture award, producer Wang shouted out his wife by referencing one of the film’s now-iconic lines: “If all the shiny stuff and tuxedos go away, I would love to do laundry and taxes with you for the rest of my life.” 

Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell had a mini “Four Weddings and a Funeral” reunion — that was in part to “raise awareness about the vital importance of using a good moisturizer” — when presenting the award for Best Production Design. “Still stunning,” Grant said, gesturing to MacDowell. Then he called himself “basically a scrotum.”

When talking backstage to Fraser about his experience playing Queer characters, a reporter told him that “the gays love you,” to which Fraser responded, “I love you right back.”

“Chadwick, please take care of Mom,” Best Costume Design winner Carter said in her acceptance speech, paying tribute to “Black Panther” star and her mother, Mabel Carter, who died the week before the Oscars.

“Can I answer in German? Or in English? Both. Good.” Berger answered a question in the Virtual Press Room in both languages in honor of his film.

“I feel very blessed to have this kind of greatest recognition of the world for my country, for my culture, for my motherland and for my movie industry, from Telugu language,” M. M. Keeravaani said, on representing his culture with “Naatu Naatu.”

And finally, as the telecast was coming to a close, host Kimmel left the stage, walked up to a sign that read, “Number of Oscars Telecasts Without Incident,” and changed the zero to a one.

Daily Arts Writers Hannah Carapellotti, Maddie Agne, Maya Ruder and Sabriya Imami can be reached at hmcarp@umich.edu, maagne@umich.edu, mayarud@umich.edu and simami@umich.edu. 

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These are the films that were nominated and won Oscars this year.

Animated Feature Film:

“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”

“Marcel the Shell With Shoes On”

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”

“The Sea Beast”

“Turning Red”

Actor in a Supporting Role:

Brendan Gleeson, “The Banshees of Inisherin”

Brian Tyree Henry, “Causeway”

Judd Hirsch, “The Fabelmans”

Barry Keoghan, “The Banshees of Inisherin”

Ke Hug Quan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Actress in a Supporting Role:

Angela Bassett, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

Hong Chau, “The Whale”

Kerry Condon, “The Banshees of Inisherin”

Jamie Lee Curtis, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Stephanie Hsu, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Documentary Feature:

“All That Breathes”

“All That Beauty and the Bloodshed”

“Fire of Love”

“A House Made of Splinters”

“Navalny”

Live Action Short Film:

“An Irish Goodbye”

“Ivalu”

“Le Pupille”

“Night Ride”

“The Red Suitcase”

Cinematography:

“All Quiet on the Western Front”

“Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths”

“Elvis”

“Empire of Light”

“Tár”

Makeup and Hairstyling:

“All Quiet on the Western Front”

“The Batman”

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

“Elvis”

“The Whale”

Costume Design:

“Babylon”

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

“Elvis”

“Everything Everywhere All at Once”

“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”

International Feature Film:

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Germany

“Argentine, 1985,” Argentina

“Close,” Belgium

“EO,” Poland

“The Quiet Girl,” Ireland

Documentary Short Subject:

“The Elephant Whisperers”

“Haulout”

“How Do You Measure a Year?”

“The Martha Mitchell Effect”

“Stranger at the Gate”

Animated Short Film:

“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse”

“The Flying Sailor”

“Ice Merchants”

“My Year of Dicks”

“An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It”

Production Design:

“All Quiet on the Western Front”

“Avatar: The Way of Water”

“Babylon”

“Elvis”

“The Fabelmans”

Original Score:

“All Quiet on the Western Front”

“Babylon”

“The Banshees of Inisherin”

“Everything Everywhere All at Once”

“The Fabelmans”

Visual Effects:

“All Quiet on the Western Front”

“Avatar: The Way of Water”

“The Batman”

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

“Top Gun: Maverick”

Original Screenplay:

“The Banshees of Inisherin”

“Everything Everywhere All at Once”

“The Fabelmans”

“Tár”

“Triangle of Sadness”

Adapted Screenplay:

“All Quiet on the Western Front”

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”

“Living”

“Top Gun: Maverick”

“Women Talking”

Sound:

“All Quiet on the Western Front”

“Avatar: The Way of Water”

“The Batman”

“Elvis”

“Top Gun: Maverick”

Original Song:

“Applause,” from “Tell It like a Woman”

“Hold My Hand,” from “Top Gun: Maverick”

“Life Me Up,” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

“Naatu Naatu,” from “RRR”

“This Is A  Life,” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Film Editing:

“The Banshees of Inisherin”

“Elvis”

“Everything Everywhere All at Once”

“Tár”

“Top Gun: Maverick”

Directing:

Martin McDonagh, “The Banshees of Inisherin”

Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Steven Spielberg, “The Fabelmans”

Todd Field, “Tár”

Ruben Ostulind, “Triangle of Sadness”

Actor in a Leading Role:

Austin Butler, “Elvis”

Colin Farrell, “The Banshees of Inisherin”

Brendan Fraser, “The Whale”

Paul Mescal, “Aftersun”

Bill Nighy, “Living”

Actress in a Leading Role:

Cate Blanchett, “Tár”

Ana de Armas, “Blonde”

Andrea Riseborough, “To Leslie”

Michelle Williams, “The Fabelmans”

Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Best Picture:

“All Quiet on the Western Front”

“Avatar: The Way of Water”

“The Banshees of Inisherin”

“Elvis”

“Everything Everywhere All at Once”

“Tár”

“Top Gun: Maverick”

“Triangle of Sadness”

“Women Talking”

Daily Arts Writers Maddie Agne, Hannah Carapellotti, Sabriya Imami and Maya Ruder can be reached at maagne@umich.edu, hmcarp@umich.edu, simami@umich.edu, and mayarud@umich.edu.

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The media is so powerful, even more than we may realize. In the 21st century, it is nearly impossible to escape the effects of deceptive social media posts, ambiguous news clips and misleading headlines, making it even more imperative for truth-tellers to take hold of the narratives associated with their communities. 

In the entertainment industry, the best way to make that happen is by ensuring that people from minority communities are involved in every aspect of the creative process. No longer should white artists tell the stories of people of Color. When that happens, the end product is not only disingenuous, leading to false understanding of these communities, but it also prevents people of Color from feeling represented by art that is meant to encompass their culture. 

When a person feels understood by a work of art, it has an unimaginable impact — it makes them feel like they belong. For many white individuals, this feeling is taken for granted; for people of Color, it is rare to find true representation in mainstream media. 

It took me many years to feel represented in the art I consumed, primarily because there were not enough people like me working behind the scenes, authoring books, making films and creating art. When I was growing up, all my favorite books and movies — from the Harry Potter franchise to the Percy Jackson series to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — were created by predominantly white artists and featured predominantly white characters. The first time I remember seeing Muslim characters was in “Iron Man,” and they were terrorists. Because art and popular culture have a history of disproportionate whiteness behind the screen, the few non-white characters featured tend to perpetuate offensive stereotypes.

An important step toward increased diversity and inclusion in the film industry involves partnering with organizations that uplift minority communities and provide research and data on diversity. The Pillars Fund, a nonprofit organization, does just that.

In an email interview with The Michigan Daily, Arij Mikati, the Pillars managing director of culture change, said that Pillars Fund “amplifies Muslim leadership, narratives, and talent in the U.S. and beyond.” The significance of this mission cannot be overstated. Muslims have been belittled for too long, and by providing opportunities to uplift Muslim communities in the entertainment industry, the organization is actively fighting against negative biases in relation to Muslims. Many Americans still primarily associate Muslims with terrorism and oppression, even though there is so much more to the Islamic faith. People often say that Islam is not a monolith, but many non-Muslims remain ignorant of this.

The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, a Pillars Fund partner, recently released studies revealing that “Muslims made up less than 2% of all speaking characters across the 200 top movies,” numbers that “hardly reflect the 1.9 billion Muslims who live around the world,” Mikati wrote.

She added that “the few portrayals that were there were often unnuanced stereotypes,” which can be harmful, as they affect how viewers perceive Muslims. 

“Many people have little or no contact with Muslims in their day-to-day lives,” Mikati wrote. “So films can act as a way for audiences to identify with Muslims.” 

If filmmakers believe the worst about Muslims, they will create films that perpetuate damaging stereotypes about them; when viewers consume these negative depictions, the cycle continues. If creators generate positive stories about Muslims that showcase their depth and multifaceted experiences, viewers may walk out of those movie theaters with a changed understanding of the religion. This positive change can only happen successfully if minorities are included in the writing process and are invited behind the camera — if minority members take part in telling their own stories.

Pillars Fund has also contributed to ensuring Muslims are involved “at every step of the filmmaking process (so) they can shape these stories from the very beginning” — by creating opportunities for representatives of minority groups to be involved in filmmaking, accurate depictions of minority communities become more probable. Pillars Fund’s Muslim Artist Database “make(s) it easier than ever before for Muslims to get involved in this process and for studios, agencies, and other film industry leaders to find them.” 

Recently, there has been a fight for representation and diversity in the film industry. Audiences are calling for representation in all aspects of media and denouncing movies that discount accurate representation or include whitewashing. Entertainment companies have begun to place greater emphasis on films and television shows with a focus on non-white individuals — think “Ms. Marvel” or even “Black Panther.” While creating more diverse shows, executives and decision-makers for these companies are including actors and filmmakers of Color in the creative process, which is vital. Directors, writers and producers make the decisions. They write the stories that unfold onscreen, offer notes to actors and promote the films — they are directly involved in the most crucial phases of the creative process. Including filmmakers representing the identities depicted in the movies is necessary to avoid knowledge gaps. Uninformed portrayals can be misrepresentative at best and negative at worst, causing viewers to associate people of Color with false perceptions put forth by people outside of those communities.

We have also seen changes in relation to diversity in the uppermost echelons of the entertainment industry. Following the popularity of the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag in 2015, the Academy altered its eligibility rules to allow for increased diversity and inclusion in films. Starting in 2024, in order for films to be eligible for the Best Picture category nomination, they must meet at least two of four diversity criteria. The Oscars are widely considered “Hollywood’s Biggest Night.” If the Academy made larger, sweeping changes to its rules and standards, we could see a cascading effect; more entertainment companies and organizations would fulfill a need to increase diversity in order to win a coveted Oscar. The alteration to their diversity standards and eligibility rules is a start, but we should expect more from the Academy and hold it accountable.

“Our communities have largely been missing from behind and in front of the camera for decades,” Mikati wrote. That is why it took so long for me to feel represented. I couldn’t find people who looked like me onscreen, nor was there anyone like me calling the shots behind the screen.

“Not only has this (absence) led to terrible misrepresentations of Muslims on screen, but there is an entire demographic of talented artists who have been underutilized. There is an abundance of rich, nuanced, interesting stories that Muslims are already telling, and it’s time the film industry recognized and showcased that talent.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Daily Arts Writer Sabriya Imami can be reached at simami@umich.edu.

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Current and historical events often inspire art. There is something beautiful in looking at the world and choosing to make something because you are inspired by what you see, but sometimes the events happening around us are tragic. When those stories are told through art, they are most effective and instructive when there is a message at the heart, something that the audience is meant to walk away with. This is the case with the Unity Productions Foundation’s newest film, “Lamya’s Poem.”

The animated film alternates between two primary storylines. The titular Lamya (Millie Davis, “Wonder”) goes through the harrowing process of fleeing from Syria in 2016. The renowned 13th-century poet Jalal al-Din Rumi (Mena Massoud, “Aladdin”), referred to in the film as Jalal, and his father Baha Walad (Faran Tahir, “Iron Man”) face the Mongol invasion of their homeland. Lamya and Rumi’s stories are woven together, in a third storyline, when they meet in a dreamscape, facing monsters and creatures who represent their struggles.

In an email interview with The Michigan Daily, executive producer Jawaad Abdul Rahman elaborated on the creation of these stories.

“When we read articles about refugees from Syria living in camps and having book clubs, poetry clubs, even reading Rumi’s poetry, it really struck us. Here are people whose life has been turned upside down, still finding something of value from these gatherings and from Rumi’s poetry.”

These people were going through something so tragic and unthinkable, yet they found solace in something as simple as poetry. “Lamya’s Poem” elaborates on this idea, fictionalizing aspects but maintaining the truth behind real refugees’ stories and actions. Abdul Rahman spoke on the lasting legacy of Rumi’s poetry as well.

“We’ve also been struck by the fact that Rumi is so beloved … but people don’t know that he was actually a scholar of Islam. As we read more about Rumi, we learned that he was also a refugee as a child, forced out of his home when the Mongols invaded. That parallel is what we wanted to explore, two refugees across time.”

By placing Rumi and Lamya’s stories side by side, the filmmakers came upon a unique way of imparting a message upon their viewers. The dreamscape, Rahman explained, “represents (the characters’) imagination, their fears, how they are processing the loss they are both feeling as refugees.”

Watching monsters attack them, slithering around them and nearly omnipresent, we as viewers become aware of how their fear is affecting them. It is successful storytelling, if dark. In the climactic scene, we watch Lamya struggle for her life as a monster attacks her; this moment is the height of the film, and the suspense it creates is all-encompassing. The animation of the monsters may seem simplistic at times, because of the cartoonish style (complete with dark bodies, red eyes and spiked features), but when they begin acting, they become violent. When that happens, it is clear that they — and the fears they represent — are capable of causing lasting harm.

“Animation allows us to do creative things on screen without being cost-prohibitive,” Abdul Rahman wrote. “The imagination of children is such an important part of this story, so animation was the best medium.” 

The animation also allows the filmmakers to tell a distressing story to all audiences. Discussing tragic current events can be difficult, especially those some people view as controversial, but “Lamya’s Poem” does not shy away from telling this difficult, necessary story. The story’s elements are easy to follow — although the dreamscape world may be confusing to younger audiences — making the movie accessible. Breaking down these intense topics in a way that is manageable for wider audiences works to spread the movie’s message of accepting others and breaking down barriers in a successful way.

“The global refugee crisis has been on our minds a great deal at UPF and particularly that of Syrian refugees, since it’s been going on for years,” Abdul Rahman wrote. When asked about the importance of telling Muslim stories, he added, “sharing stories of Muslims and people of other faith traditions living and working together helps break down barriers and reduce harmful stereotypes. When people hear Islam or Muslims, so many assume violence or extremism. This simply doesn’t explain the lives of almost 2 billion people, their rich history, diversity and values.”

“Lamya’s Poem” does just that — the movie does not make the situation palatable, because it should not be made palatable, but it breaks down the truth of the Syrian refugee crisis for all audiences to understand and absorb. One scene features Lamya and the other refugees fleeing to the mainland only to face protestors objecting to their presence. Tragically, this scene is based in reality.

“Our hope is that people see themselves in the plight of refugees,” Abdul Rahman wrote. “This is a story about a father and son, Baha Walad and Rumi, and a mother and daughter, Lamya’s mother and Lamya. Their lives, dreams, aspirations are not so different than yours or mine.” 

“Lamya’s Poem” takes an important step in allowing non-Muslims to understand the depth of the Muslim community, which is integral to bringing these different communities closer together. It’s a didactic story, but it works. UPF makes no attempt to hide the meaning of its film, and it shouldn’t — we are meant to learn from it and grow as people because of its greater message.

Daily Arts Writer Sabriya Imami can be reached at simami@umich.edu.

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