Two Gods (2020)
- Sat, Jun 5
Sat, Jun 5 @ 4:30 pm: Filmmakers in attendance
Director: Zeshawn Ali Run Time: 82 min. Rating: NR Release Year: 2021
Country: United States
Language: English
Presented in our Virtual Screening Room.
“This is real cinema vérité, one that authentically gives say to those who often remain voiceless.”
—Benjamin Tran for Film Forward
About the film:
Official selection of Hot Docs 2020.
Hanif is a Muslim casket maker and ritual body washer in Newark NJ. He mentors two kids – Furguan, a confident 12-year-old who comes from a rough home, and Naz, a 17-year-old who has been fighting through his own struggles as a young black man growing up in Newark. Hardship comes when Furguan’s home life becomes more turbulent and Naz gets caught up in a serious arrest. Hanif fears he has failed as a mentor and begins to fall into a downward spiral.
During their darkest moments, they take what they’ve learned from each other to pull through. And through faith, brotherhood and redemption, they find their purpose.
About the filmmakers:
Director Zeshawn Ali is originally from Ohio and is a graduate of Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Two Gods is his first feature film and has received support from ITVS, Tribeca Film Institute, Ford Foundation, Sundance Institute, Doc Society, Points North Institute and IFP. He is a member of Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective and Meerkat Media. He is currently based in New York.
Producer Aman Ali is an award-winning storyteller in New York City. He’s made appearances on dozens of media outlets such as the New York Times, BuzzFeed, CNN, NBC News, HBO, BBC, and NPR. He first gained fame for being the co-creator of the social media phenomenon “30 Mosques in 30 Days,” a 25,000 mile road trip he took to all 50 states in the U.S. with the mission of telling groundbreaking and profound stories about Muslims in America.
Watch the Conversation with the Producer and Director See our upcoming films