Directed by:
Hesham IssawiScreenplay:
Brian CoxCinematography:
Michael G. WojciechowskiComposer:
Tony HumeckeCast:
Constance Zimmer, Christopher Carley, Erick Avari, Tony Plana, Tony Shalhoub, Sarah Shahi, Ray Wise, Alfre Woodard, Haaz Sleiman, Anthony Azizi, Sam Golzari (more)Plots(1)
American East bravely explores the experience of Middle Eastern immigrants living in post-9/11 Los Angeles. When the U.S. government declares a severe risk of terrorist attacks, passions run high and drama unfolds for an eclectic mix of Arab-Americans. Mustafa straddles the fine line of pursuing the American Dream while at the same time perserving his cultural ties to Egypt and his Islamic faith. Mustafa's sister Salwah faces an arranged marriage that was planned at her birth, while Mustafa's friend Omar strives to become an actor in Hollywood where he is typecast as a terrorist. In the end, this timely and provocative film leaves us with hope that we can rise above the prejudice and misunderstanding and come together as Americans. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
Constance Zimmer
USA
Best movies:
Home Room (2002)
Chaos Theory (2008)
Senseless (1998)
Christopher Carley
USA
Best movies:
Gran Torino (2008)
Garden State (2004)
Lions for Lambs (2007)
Erick Avari
India
Best movies:
Hachiko: A Dog's Story (2009)
The Mummy (1999)
Stargate (1994)
Tony Plana
Cuba
Best movies:
JFK (1991)
Primal Fear (1996)
Salvador (1986)
Tony Shalhoub
USA
Best movies:
Gattaca (1997)
Cars (2006)
The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
Sarah Shahi
USA
Best movies:
Crossing Over (2009)
The Congress (2013)
Old School (2003)
Ray Wise
USA
Best movies:
X-Men: First Class (2011)
Twin Peaks (1992)
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Alfre Woodard
USA
Best movies:
K-Pax (2001)
Star Trek VIII: First Contact (1996)
Primal Fear (1996)
Haaz Sleiman
Lebanon
Best movies:
The Promise (2011) (series)
The Visitor (2007)
Those People (2015)
Anthony Azizi
USA
Best movies:
Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006)
Three Kings (1999)
Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
Sam Golzari
UK
Best movies:
A Simple Wedding (2018)
American Dreamz (2006)
Letting Go (2012)
John Bryant
USA
Best movies:
'R Xmas (2001)
Money Train (1995)
Blood Shot (2013)
Amanda Detmer
USA
Best movies:
The Majestic (2001)
Final Destination (2000)
To Serve and Protect (1999) (TV movie)
Sammy Sheik
Egypt
Best movies:
American Sniper (2014)
Lone Survivor (2013)
For the Love of Money (2012)
Nasser Faris
Egypt
Best movies:
Jarhead (2005)
House of Sand and Fog (2003)
Path to Paradise: The Untold Story of the World Trade Center Bombing (1997) (TV movie)
Mike Batayeh
USA
Best movies:
You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008)
American Dreamz (2006)
Faouzi Brahimi
France
Best movies:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
Sinners & Saints (2010)
The Gray Man (2022)
Adam Hendershott
USA
Best movies:
Radio Flyer (1992)
Small Town Saturday Night (2010)
Greedy (1994)
Julie Lancaster
USA
Best movies:
Stepmom (1998)
Pulse (2006)
A California Christmas (2020)
Lorenzo Caccialanza
Italy
Best movies:
Die Hard (1988)
Don Juan DeMarco (1994)
Monster-in-Law (2005)