Yusef, a first-generation Pakistani engineering student, moves off-campus with a group of Muslim punks in Buffalo, New York. His new "un-orthodox" house mates soon introduce him to Taqwacore- a hardcore, Muslim punk rock scene that only exists out west.
As the seasons change, Taqwacore influences the house more and more. The living room becomes a mosque during the day, while it continues to host punk parties at night. Ultimately, Yusef is influenced by Taqwacore too, as he begins to challenge his own faith and ideologies. The Taqwacores deals with the complexities of being young and Muslim in modern-day America. Read more …
From its pink-mohawked skateboarder to its burqa-clad Riot Grrrl, the Buffalo houseshare where guileless student Yusef (Bobby Naderi) fetches up is never less than intriguing, but this is really little more than The Young Ones with a prayer mat.
Stroppy rather than strident and as coherent as a Johnny Rotten rant, it fails to deliver a thoughtful statement on modern Muslim identity.
The strongest parts of this film are those dealing with the differing interpretation of the Koran. Ultimately, though, it’s a music film and the concert and battle of the bands provides a necessary genre ending in a film that dares to be a little different.
Far-from perfect but bravely interrogates a difficult subject.
A laboriously scripted and acted drama unfolds and one particular moment left a curious taste.
The Taqwacores: Mosques and Mohicans
How Islamic punk went from fiction to reality
macrobert, Stirling from Tuesday October 18, 2011. More info: www.macrobert.org
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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