© 2024 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

For 'Amreeka' Director, Life As Inspiration For Art

A graduate of Columbia University's Master of Fine Arts film program, Cherien Dabis was named as one of <em>Variety's</em> "Ten Directors to Watch" in 2009.
Getty Images
A graduate of Columbia University's Master of Fine Arts film program, Cherien Dabis was named as one of Variety's "Ten Directors to Watch" in 2009.

Writer and director Cherien Dabis drew upon her own childhood experiences as a first-generation Arab immigrant growing up in the Midwest for her feature film Amreeka. The film explores the journey of a single mom and her teenage son as they emigrate from the West Bank to America during the first Gulf War. Amreeka has garnered high praise from both critics and audiences alike.

Copyright 2023 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air.

Journalism at this station is made possible by donors who value local reporting. Donate today to keep stories like this one coming. It is thanks to your generosity that we can keep this content free and accessible for everyone. Thanks!