The Citizen: An Arab immigrant's story on the big screen

ROYAL OAK — If you win the lottery, you hold on to the winning ticket. That's exactly what Ibrahim Jarrah, the main character in the movie "The Citizen," did. He won the International Green Card Lottery for permanent resident status in the United States, and stuck to his chance to become an American citizen despite the hardships and terrible strikes of bad luck.

"I was wondering why he's insisting to stay in America, with all the suffering that he went through. He arrived to New York one day before 9/11," said Khaled Nabawy, who plays Ibrahim in the movie. "He believed that he had a chance. That he can achieve his dream in the U.S., while unfortunately he cannot achieve it in his homecountry."

Ibrahim, a kind-hearted Lebanese, who comes to the United States to embrace the "American Dream," ends up facing racial and social challenges in post 9/11 New York City. 

The story is powered by a mix of intense emotions and relationships — hope, pain, love and friendship. 

Nabawy, a famed Egyptian actor, stands out with an authentic performance that portrayed the struggles of new immigrants.

Sam Kadi, the movie's director, said he chose Nabawy for the role because "he is The Citizen."

"He has all the characteristics I was looking for in an Arab actor to have," Kadi said of Nabawy. "He has amazing skills, professionalism and a great heart. These are three things I was looking for, and I found them in Khaled. It's a special movie that needed a special actor."

Kadi, who is Syrian American, said the language issue was sensitive, especially that wanted an actor from the Middle East.

Nabawy as Ibrahim in court. A scene from "The Citizen."

"Khaled is fluent in English," the director said. "He is the best representation for an Arab on the big screen."

Nabawy is not totally new to American cinema; he has previously starred in "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Fair Game."

 "The Citizen," which is mostly filmed in Michigan, debuts on Friday, Sept. 27, in select theaters, including  the Emagine Theatres in Royal Oak, Novi and Canton, and at the Birmingham 8 Theatre.

Besides Nabawy, the movie stars Cary Elwes, Agnes Bruckner, William Atherton and Rizwan Manji.

On Wednesday, Sept. 25,  the film premiered at the Emagine Theater in Royal Oak, with a private red carpet gala, attended by the cast, media and community leaders.

"The Citizen" arrives to theaters after receiving honors from several prominent film festivals, including the Best Ensemble Cast, and Mass Impact awards at the Boston Film Festival; Best Feature Drama at the International Family Film Festival in Hollywood; Best Actor Award (Agnes Bruckner) and Directors’ Choice Award for Best Film at Colorado’s Tri Media Film Festival, plus high acclaim at the Shanghai and Abu Dhabi Film Festivals.

Sam Kadi.

Kadi said the film was inspired by several true stories, compiled together in Ibrahim’s experience.

"Some of these stories belong to me. The U.S. is far from being perfect, but it gives its people a chance and respects the dignity of the human being," Kadi added. "I am a firm believer that the American Dream still exists, but you have to work harder to earn it. I built this movie on this element. This is not a 9/11 movie. It is about finding your own existence, chasing your dream and believing you have rights; a simple human journey." 

The director said that another element of the "The Citizen" is seeing the American dream through the eyes of an Arab immigrant, during the country's hardest times.

Nabawy said his own experiences also helped him understand the character he was playing in the film.

He added that when he first visited the United States in 1998, he found Americans to be friendly, kind and humorous.

"Above all, they are very hard working people, which means they take nothing for granted. But with the dictatorship in the Arab World, everything is for granted, because the system is already set up and everything is in place. America is a land of free choice. That helped the belief of Ibrahim Jarah in 'The Citizen,'" he explained. 

Kadi said besides realizing a personal dream, he wanted to open an "untapped door" to other Arab American directors to prove "we can make it."

He added that his message to aspiring filmmakers is to be determined and focused and isolate themselves from negative people. 

"When we hear the media talking on our behalf, it is because we did not earn a voice in the media. It is time to realize we need to stop blaming others and work hard to have our opinions heard," he said.

He urged different ethnic and cultural groups to create their works and cooperate with others, so they can have a voice of their own to diversify the media.

"A good story can make it to the big screen, regardless of whom it belongs to," the director said.

Kadi added that he also wanted to open the door for Arab actors to Hollywood.

"I refused to have somebody who isn't an Arab to play the lead role of an Arab immigrant," he said. "I also even refused to have somebody who is Arab American. I wanted somebody from the Arab World to present this case. There is plenty of talent in the Middle East."

Cinema and the Arab World

Nabawy said there were no major differences between Egyptian and American cinema. 

"Both are cinema. Both produce movies that go to the audience in the end," he said. "They used to call Egypt the Hollywood of the East."

He said working with legendary Egyptian directors like Salah Abu Seif and Youssef Chahine is what taught him the profession in a "great way."

Agnes Bruckner and Nabawy, in "The Citizen."

However, Nabawy said cinema in Egypt was held back by censorship and the monopoly over production and ideas during the Mubarak regime. 

"If you had a movie, the government had to approve the script, before you even start filming," he explained.

The Egyptian actor said he wants to continue learning and improving for the rest of his career.

"To never stop learning is the magical recipe to success. If you stop learning, you stop living," he said.

Kadi added that art and cinema could contribute to changing people's way of thinking in the Arab World and giving the youth a chance to a better future.

"Movies don't change the world, but people who watch them can. Movies shape up people's mind," he said. "That's the beauty of art. It is the best way to communicate with others. Movies teach the culture of listening. Spending two hours listening to somebody else is something we are not used to. We're usually defensive. We get emotional. The culture of communication is lacking everywhere, especially in Middle Eastern culture." 

He said the audience gets inspired and pulled in by cinema; people live the ideas expressed in films through the characters and leave the movie thinking about its content.

Nabawy said the movies can contribute to education.

"By making a great revolution in the Arab World, the people are changing the future. Dictators always make sure you don't have an education to stay in their chair," he said.

Following the 25 January Revolution that disposed dictator Hosni Mubarak, Egypt elected its first Islamist president.

Asked if censorship by political Islam posed a greater threat to art than that by military dictatorships, Kadi said: "Why do we only have two options? In the past we did not have an option. Now we're at this stage where they're telling us you have to choose between dictatorship or religious parties. Why can't we have a normal life like everybody else, with leaders who promote democracy, freedom of speech and pluralism."

Nabawy, who participated in the protests that led to Mubarak's fall, recalled his dad advising him to surround himself with positive and kind people, and to never ask anybody about his religion. 

He said he refuses the injection of religion into politics.

The actor and director said they would like to work together again.

Kadi added that he has ideas for future projects, which he cannot disclose.