On 11 September 2001 a small group of religious extremists shocked the world by attacking the USA and killing more than 3,000 people. Because the extremists were Muslims, then President George W. Bush declared a “War on Terror”, launching attacks on al-Qaeda and Afghanistan and severely curtailing civil liberties inside the US. Anti-terrorist operations were later rapidly extended to other parts of the world.

In the wake of a sudden wave of Islam phobia, Canada’s Parliament rushed to pass a tough new Anti-Terrorism Law whose unintended consequence was the vilification of Muslims communities throughout the country. In a revealing new documentary called “Change Your Name Ousama!”, film maker Fuad Chowdhury and former CBC security correspondent Bill Gillespie have shown how Canadian Muslims joined 9/11’s many victims.

WACC screened the documentary on Friday 7 September at its global secretariat in pursuit of its vision of “Communication for All”. How people are portrayed or misrepresented in the media are key elements in the democratization of communication.

Choudhury specializes in films with a strong social conscience. Several of his documentaries have received international film awards. Films such as “Hear What We Are Saying” on the need for anti-racism principles when serving mental health patients, and “Mixed Messages” on the children of interracial marriages are used as teaching aids in Canadian educational institutions.

Writer and consulting producer Bill Gillespie is a former CBC Foreign Correspondent who has reported extensively from hotspots such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and the former Soviet Union.

“Change Your Name Ousama!” was produced and developed in association with OMNI Television and was shown during the 2012 Montreal International Film Festival. It will be screened at the 1st Delhi International Film Festival later this year.

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