Halal

Since the event of 9/11 in 2001, Islamophobia has spread all over the world, especially in the United States of America. Earlier last year, President Donald Trump also banned people from a number of Muslim countries from entering the USA, with an idea to eventually ban all Muslims from coming to the USA. As a Muslim student from Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, I am amazed to encounter so many misconceptions of Islam and the concept of Halal in the United States. This short film shows about the lives of the Muslim population in Buffalo, USA, by exploring a simple question many non-Muslims have asked me: What is Halal?

  • Azalia Muchransyah
    Director
  • Azalia Muchransyah
    Writer
  • Azalia Muchransyah
    Producer
  • Adhi Anugroho
    Executive Producer
  • Azalia Muchransyah
    Editors
  • Adhi Anugroho
    Editors
  • Azalia Muchransyah
    Key Cast
    "Azalia Muchransyah/Narrator"
  • Zainab Allabasi
    Key Cast
    "Zainab Allabasi"
  • Pasha Shed
    Key Cast
    "Pasha Shed"
  • Ayman Al Khateeb
    Key Cast
    "Ayman Al Khateeb"
  • Shahneel Ahmed
    Key Cast
    "Shahneel Ahmed"
  • Tehniyet Azam
    Key Cast
    "Tehniyet Azam"
  • Najmul Azam
    Key Cast
    "Najmul Azam"
  • Raana Azam
    Key Cast
    "Raana Azam"
  • Umar Azam
    Key Cast
    "Umar Azam"
  • Osan Kassem
    Key Cast
    "Osan Kassem"
  • Naghty
    Key Cast
    "Naghty"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 43 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 10, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    986 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Indonesia
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • VI International Film Festival Golden Frame 2019
    Kharkov
    Ukraine
    May 21, 2019
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Sandalia Sustainability Film Festival 2019
    Sassari
    Italy
    September 1, 2019
    International Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Cefalu Film Festival 2019
    Palermo
    Italy
    June 1, 2019
    Sicily Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Independent Film Night at the Newtown Theatre 2019
    Newton
    United States
    July 14, 2019
    North America Premiere
  • DMS SHOW 2018
    Buffalo
    United States
    May 14, 2018
    School Screening
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Azalia Muchransyah

Azalia Muchransyah is pursuing a Ph.D. in Media Study at University at Buffalo (SUNY). She is a recipient of 2017 DIKTI-Funded Fulbright Ph.D. Scholarship. Her area of interest is advocacy media, specifically AIDS Media in Indonesia. Her short films have been officially selected and screened in international festivals and academic conferences. In 2019, she is chosen as a Social Impact Fellow at University at Buffalo as well as a Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival (FLEFF) Diversity Scholar at Ithaca College. She is also a contributor for vcinemashow.com, an online platform for Asian film, media, and culture. To know more about her works, visit https://azalia.myportfolio.com/.

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Director Statement

Halal (حلال in Arabic) is translated as permissible. It is a term that refers to what is permissible for all Muslims (followers of Islam). Even though Halal is more popularly used to describe foods and drinks that are permissible for Muslims to consume, it can be applied for many different occasions, such as marriage and money. This is not as simple as not consuming pork and alcohol or as mischievous of a radical idea like non-Muslims often think. With this short film, I want to show everybody around the world about Muslims in USA, by exploring a simple question many non-Muslims have asked me: What is Halal?