tagged w/ Amina
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So the joke is on all of us. The now infamous blogger 'A Gay Girl In Damascus', a.k.a. Amina Abdallah Arraf al-Omari, a 25-year-old half-Syrian half-American lesbian living in Damascus who was "abducted" last week was in fact a 40-year-old American Middle East activist called Tom MacMaster who is studying at Edinburgh University. MacMaster started writing the popular blog in February this year and due to the recent unrest in Syria it was followed intensely by news agencies and activists around the world.
However, last week he posted that "Amina" had been abducted by armed men not to be seen or heard of since. That last post caused worldwide concern and received a lot of media attention leading to "Amina's photo" being plastered on every news website (including Current.com) as a genuine news story.
The real woman, whose picture MacMaster had used as the profile pic of his fictional "Amina" character spotted her picture in the news and came forward saying her identity had ben stolen and that she worried for her safety. The woman in question was Jelena Lecic, a Croatian woman living in London who had nothing to do with Syria. In an interview with the BBC MacMaster defended his actions saying: "I really felt a number of years ago, in discussions on Middle East issues in the US, often when I presented real facts and opinions, the immediate reaction to someone with my name was: 'Why are you anti-American? Why are you anti-Jewish?' So I invented a name to talk under that would keep the focus on the actual issue."MacMaster said he had wanted people to listen to the facts without paying attention to "the man behind the curtain", claiming that the success of the blog took him by surprise.He said: "From the beginning I never expected it to get anywhere near the attention it has."I thought when I was starting I would be read by four, five, maybe as many as 10 people."MacMaster told the BBC that he accepted the concerns that he may have made it harder for bloggers within Syria, and that he had backed up government claims there were no problems in the country and that it was all "foreign lies".He said: "However, the reality is that I have been in contact with a lot of people inside Syria and I have been following things very closely."He said the most important thing was to "get the information out" and added: "People should stop focussing on the hoaxer and really be focussing on the most important people, the real people who are suffering in Syria."
You can read Tom MacMaster's full apology here.So the joke is on all of us. The now infamous blogger 'A Gay Girl In... more
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Promotional video of Enlightenment's trip to Cannes in March 2008 to promote both their films, "The World Unseen" and "I Can't Think Straight".
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.Promotional video of Enlightenment's trip to Cannes in March 2008 to promote both... more
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Video showing the filmmakers of The World Unseen at the Outfest Film Festival in Los Angeles. The film screened at the Ford Theater to a thousand people.
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.Video showing the filmmakers of The World Unseen at the Outfest Film Festival in Los... more
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Leonie Casanova discusses her role as songwriter and actress in "The World Unseen" by Shamim Sarif
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.Leonie Casanova discusses her role as songwriter and actress in "The World... more
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An interview with the writer/director of The World Unseen, Shamim Sarif, just before the film screened at the London BFI Festival.
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.An interview with the writer/director of The World Unseen, Shamim Sarif, just before... more
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E-TV came on set of The World Unseen while it was shooting in Cape Town, S. Africa and did a behind the scenes segment, interviewing writer/director Shamim Sarif and stars Lisa Ray and Colin Moss.
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.E-TV came on set of The World Unseen while it was shooting in Cape Town, S. Africa and... more
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The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through... more
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I Can't Think Straight - Making Of(Condensed Version)
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.I Can't Think Straight - Making Of(Condensed Version)
The World Unseen and I... more
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The World Unseen - official US Trailer.
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.The World Unseen - official US Trailer.
The World Unseen and I Can't Think... more
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Leonie Casanova for I Can't Think Straight
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.Leonie Casanova for I Can't Think Straight
The World Unseen and I Can't... more
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I Can't Think Straight, the official Trailer!
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.I Can't Think Straight, the official Trailer!
The World Unseen and I... more
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The making of Leonie Casanova's music video for 'Broken', featured in Shamim Sarif's 'The World Unseen'.
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.The making of Leonie Casanova's music video for 'Broken', featured in... more
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The making of Leonie Casanova's music video for 'Little Feeling', featured in Shamim Sarif's 'I Can't Think Straight'.
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.The making of Leonie Casanova's music video for 'Little Feeling',... more
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"Broken" music video, performed by Leonie Casanova. The song was written and featured in the film "The World Unseen" by Shamim Sarif, starring Lisa Ray & Sheetal Sheth.
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features."Broken" music video, performed by Leonie Casanova. The song was written and... more
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"Little Feeling" music video, performed by Leonie Casanova. The song was written and featured in the film "I Can't Think Straight" by Shamim Sarif, starring Lisa Ray & Sheetal Sheth.
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features."Little Feeling" music video, performed by Leonie Casanova. The song was... more
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Check out this trailer for "The World Unseen", an award winning drama and passionate love story based on the award winning novel. Written and directed by Shamim Sarif, the dramatic film portrays the struggles of two Indian women in apartheid 1950s South Africa
For more information please visit
http://www.enlightenment-productions.comCheck out this trailer for "The World Unseen", an award winning drama and... more
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the official UK trailer for I CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT by Shamim Sarif, starring Lisa Ray, Sheetal Sheth & Nina Wadia.
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.the official UK trailer for I CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT by Shamim Sarif, starring Lisa... more
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Shamim Sarif's 'The World Unseen' wins eleven Golden Horns in 2009's SAFTA Awards ceremony!
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.Shamim Sarif's 'The World Unseen' wins eleven Golden Horns in... more
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ITV talks to Shamim Sarif and Hanan Kattan regarding the release of I Can't Think Straight in London
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.ITV talks to Shamim Sarif and Hanan Kattan regarding the release of I Can't Think... more
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Showbiz interviews Shamim Sarif about The World Unseen's success at SAFTA
The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight DVDs are now available through http://www.enlightenment-productions.com (click on "how to get")
The DVDs have a great list of bonus features.Showbiz interviews Shamim Sarif about The World Unseen's success at SAFTA
The... more
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