A report by the Islamic Human Rights Commission argues that films as diverse as The Siege, a portrayal of a terrorist attack on New York starring Denzel Washington and Bruce Willis, the Disney film Aladdin and the British comedy East is East have helped demonise Muslims as violent, dangerous and threatening, and reinforce prejudices, the newspaper report says. While The Siege is attacked for inter-cutting Islamic ritual and terrorist violence, potentially linking the two in the minds of audiences, Aladdin faces criticism for depicting Arabs as “ruthless caricatures” with “exaggerated and ridiculous accents”.
The study, titled ‘The British media and Muslim representation: the ideology of demonisation’, argues that Hollywood has a crucial role in influencing how the public views Muslims. A survey conducted as part of the research revealed that Muslims in Britain felt negative images of their faith on the big and small screen had consequences in their daily lives. Those interviewed “found a direct correlation between media portrayal and their social experiences of exclusion, hatred, discrimination and violence”. As well as deep unease with big screen portrayals, the research also found a perception of “unashamed bias” in the media against Muslims, with 62 percent believing the media to be Islamophobic and 16 percent describing it as racist. Only 4 percent considered its representation “fair”.
The authors call for more power for cinema censors to be able to curtail or even decline certification of “objectionable material”, as well as more effective media watchdogs and increased responsibility in coverage of issues involving Muslims on the part of newspapers and television. The report, part of a series produced by the commission - a research and campaigning body - with the backing of the Joseph Rowntree charitable trust, is significant in that it seeks to provide a direct voice for the Muslim community in Britain. Massoud Shadjareh, spokesman for the commission, said: “Rather than guess what the Muslim community’s needs and aspirations are, it actually comes from the community itself rather than organisations that represent it.”
