As a child, I grew up hearing stories from my father and grandparents about the hatred and vitriol they experienced as Italian immigrants during World War II, all because of Mussolini. My grandmother was pushed off sidewalks, their windows were broken and property vandalized. Some of us have learned little since that time. Ziad Hamzeh has examines the horrible prejudice still suffered by foreign immigrants, in this case, Somalians, Muslims, who were dumped with almost no aid, services or language training on the town of Lewiston, Maine when the United States left Mogadishu after failing to arrest its warlord, Mohammed Aidid. It is a remarkable film, a testimony to the courage and vision of one Muslin-American, Ziad Hamzeh, who has a long and distinguished career as a theatrical director in Europe and the U.S. Once again, we see the Politics of Disaster in full force: a hasty, hackneyed attempt, ill-planned and disastrously executed, like the incursion into Mogadishu (portrayed in Black Hawk Down) that led to tremendous loss of life, ridicule of American policy, and people thousands of miles away paying a huge price for the folly of a few. Ziad Hamzeh carefully constructs his story to make us feel the extraordinary sense of alienation and pain suffered by the Somali's, the fears and mounting hatred of their hosts and neighbors. It is a study in cultural contrasts, the dark Somali's in their colorful garb, the palest of Main-ites in their blandest of adornments trying to navigate through the small town. In the Era of the Documentary, when audiences are rejecting the mindless, derivative fare of Hollywood in favor of stories about real people living out real drama, The Letter is a true revelation about who we are and what our world has become. Take a pass on The Day After Tomorrow and drop in on a day like today: The Letter should not be missed by anyone who cares about their world or cares about good film making. Bravo, Mr. Hamzeh.
30 Reviews
A moving piece much needed by our troubled post 9/11 nation
newsreel30 March 2005
It is one of the most musical documentaries I have ever seen, not just the lovely flute of Bashir Adel Aai, but the whole way the interviews are cut, with their phrases floating in the air and breaking against each other. It is one of the privileges of documentary to be able to create conversations among people who would never speak to each other, and Hamseh does it beautifully. I love the way he under informs us, so we are frequently surprised by the words and the faces they come out of. He builds the tension slowly but inexorably, with the pudding-jowled mayor as the fulcrum, a strangely affectless figure whom Hamseh rightly, I think, does not utterly demonize, who makes a journey of his own from cluelessness to -- speechlessness, a kind of metaphor for the reception of the Somali presence by the traditional locals. By the end, one feels an almost physical pressure. We are very lucky to have Hamseh: a sympathetic outsider/insider who can understand Americans better than we can ourselves.
Terrifific documentary promotes discussion on diversity.
john-kane4 April 2005
I just saw this documentary as part of an event celebrating the 37th anniversary of the passing of the Fair Housing Act. This documentary does a great job at promoting discussion on diversity, what it means to be an American, and demonstrates that discrimination is an issue in our communities. People like to think that discrimination is a problem that was resolved, that we live in more enlightened times, that laws are on the books that ensure fair and equal treatment, that discrimination is not a problem in their community. Unfortunately discrimination and hatred are alive and well. Fortunately there are people and organizations that are ready to defend freedom and a documentary like this shows how a community can respond. One of the points made at the event today was have a plan, don't wait for a crisis to hit your community. Form partnerships and alliances that foster diversity and show that every human life is valued. Be proactive. Please watch this documentary and get others in your community to watch it as well.
An illuminating story, beautifully told.
ccc-162 April 2004
This is the true story of what happens to the soul of a small town in Maine when a group of Somali refugees arrives. The town divides. Many residents embrace the refugees, offering a warm welcome and compassion. Others censure them, and a white supremacist group insists there is no place for blacks.
Then the mayor weighs in with a letter that reverberates around the world, bringing a harsh spotlight to a small town. The aftermath of that letter shakes the town to its foundations. Soon the story builds to a riveting climax.
What makes the film so powerful is its narrative structure and the purity of the voices. Here is a documentary with the soul of a dramatic novel. The story is told entirely in the voices of the residents. No narrator intrudes. No viewpoint is superimposed. Each person portrayed in the film is honored by the opportunity to share his or her deepest feelings, uncensored by any editor or script. Even the white supremacists are revealed in their humanity, not through stereotypes. Somali families emerge as exquisitely complex human beings.
I loved the movie most of all for its humanity. Yes, it's a compelling story. The way it unfolds is riveting. But the touching depth and "aftertaste" of the tale lies in the echoes of those pure voices. Each one of them is human. Each one of them is us.
Marjory Bancroft
Then the mayor weighs in with a letter that reverberates around the world, bringing a harsh spotlight to a small town. The aftermath of that letter shakes the town to its foundations. Soon the story builds to a riveting climax.
What makes the film so powerful is its narrative structure and the purity of the voices. Here is a documentary with the soul of a dramatic novel. The story is told entirely in the voices of the residents. No narrator intrudes. No viewpoint is superimposed. Each person portrayed in the film is honored by the opportunity to share his or her deepest feelings, uncensored by any editor or script. Even the white supremacists are revealed in their humanity, not through stereotypes. Somali families emerge as exquisitely complex human beings.
I loved the movie most of all for its humanity. Yes, it's a compelling story. The way it unfolds is riveting. But the touching depth and "aftertaste" of the tale lies in the echoes of those pure voices. Each one of them is human. Each one of them is us.
Marjory Bancroft
Remarkably gripping documentary film-making
web-4917 July 2004
The Letter, by independent filmmaker Ziad Hamzeh, is a great complement to the novel, "The Ice Beneath Us", by first-time author Christian Bauman.
The latter tells the semi-autobiographical story of a US soldier sent to Somalia during the "Black Hawk Down" period, more specifically about his inability to adjust to civilian life back in the US after the traumatic events in Somalia.
The Letter tells what is, in some ways, the "other" side of the story -- that of Somalia refugees who fled to the US, and eventually settled in a small town in Maine -- ironically just a few miles from the home town of one of the soldiers killed in Mogadishu during the Black Hawk Down incident.
Hamzeh masterfully lets the story tell itself and lets the real people reveal their own characters, without intrusive narration or heavy-handed editing.
The result, rather than being a polemic, is an unflinching yet ultimately hopeful look at the nature of ignorance, fear and hate, each breeding the other, as a working-class community struggles to come to terms with strangers in their midst, with racist hate-groups that seek to exploit the culture-clash and misunderstandings that ensue, and the national media that swoops down like vultures to inflame all sides.
Ultimately, it is the ordinary people of Lewiston, Maine, who emerge with their dignity intact, rising above their baser instincts and coming to embrace the Somali people among them as brothers and sisters and, above all, human beings.
A profoundly beautiful piece of documentary film-making, which stands out even in this season of blockbuster documentaries, and a must-see for everyone who wishes to have their faith in ordinary Americans renewed.
The latter tells the semi-autobiographical story of a US soldier sent to Somalia during the "Black Hawk Down" period, more specifically about his inability to adjust to civilian life back in the US after the traumatic events in Somalia.
The Letter tells what is, in some ways, the "other" side of the story -- that of Somalia refugees who fled to the US, and eventually settled in a small town in Maine -- ironically just a few miles from the home town of one of the soldiers killed in Mogadishu during the Black Hawk Down incident.
Hamzeh masterfully lets the story tell itself and lets the real people reveal their own characters, without intrusive narration or heavy-handed editing.
The result, rather than being a polemic, is an unflinching yet ultimately hopeful look at the nature of ignorance, fear and hate, each breeding the other, as a working-class community struggles to come to terms with strangers in their midst, with racist hate-groups that seek to exploit the culture-clash and misunderstandings that ensue, and the national media that swoops down like vultures to inflame all sides.
Ultimately, it is the ordinary people of Lewiston, Maine, who emerge with their dignity intact, rising above their baser instincts and coming to embrace the Somali people among them as brothers and sisters and, above all, human beings.
A profoundly beautiful piece of documentary film-making, which stands out even in this season of blockbuster documentaries, and a must-see for everyone who wishes to have their faith in ordinary Americans renewed.
It's not often I'm on the edge of my seat during a documentary
darcyduke16 March 2004
It's not often I'm on the edge of my seat during a documentary, but The Letter had me there the whole time. It's a compelling story to start with - Somalian refugees move to a small town in Maine to build a better life for their kids and emotions run high as an economically depressed, mostly white town grapples with the issues this new influx of residents presents. Are the Somalians helping or hurting the community? Racism and rumor abound, but support for the new residents is also present. It all comes to a head when the mayor writes an open letter to the Somali community, asking them to encourage other Somalis not to come - the town is maxed out on resources. The media gets hold of the letter as well as a white supremacist group who views it as an open invitation to come to town and preach their message. From here, all chaos breaks loose.
But the story is not all that's great about this movie. The access the film-makers were able to get to the white supremacist group was phenomenal - interviews with their leaders and inside the hall during their rally. The individuals I saw The Letter with all agreed that one of the more creepier moments was when the leader's very normal-looking girlfriend gave him a kiss and said, "I love you." Somehow it's more comfortable to picture these individuals as rejected losers living in their parent's basements with no social lives at all. But they are real people, with lives - and kids. Many would hold out pictures of their kids and explain they are standing up for the the white race for the sake of their kids' future.
The editing was very effective as well. The quick cuts between the "hate" rally and the organized counter-rally were very effective in contrasting the views of the groups, particularly in the final speeches at the end. The segments worked so well together - it was hard to believe they weren't scripted (although they obviously weren't).
I wasn't sure how I felt at the end of this movie. In some ways it was so encouraging how most of the community stepped up to support the Somalis. But listening to the white supremacists, it truly dawned on me that we will never be able to eliminate this element of hatred and intolerance in our communities - at best, we can only keep it marginalized and at bay.
But the story is not all that's great about this movie. The access the film-makers were able to get to the white supremacist group was phenomenal - interviews with their leaders and inside the hall during their rally. The individuals I saw The Letter with all agreed that one of the more creepier moments was when the leader's very normal-looking girlfriend gave him a kiss and said, "I love you." Somehow it's more comfortable to picture these individuals as rejected losers living in their parent's basements with no social lives at all. But they are real people, with lives - and kids. Many would hold out pictures of their kids and explain they are standing up for the the white race for the sake of their kids' future.
The editing was very effective as well. The quick cuts between the "hate" rally and the organized counter-rally were very effective in contrasting the views of the groups, particularly in the final speeches at the end. The segments worked so well together - it was hard to believe they weren't scripted (although they obviously weren't).
I wasn't sure how I felt at the end of this movie. In some ways it was so encouraging how most of the community stepped up to support the Somalis. But listening to the white supremacists, it truly dawned on me that we will never be able to eliminate this element of hatred and intolerance in our communities - at best, we can only keep it marginalized and at bay.
WOW!
haroonmajdi22 November 2004
I just saw this compelling documentary called The Letter. Some poor Somalis moved to a town in Maine called Lewiston. It seems like everything was going very well for these refugees despite the fact that the American soldier who died and his naked body pulled on the streets of Somalia came from the next town. Until the neo Nazi's pulled their heads from the long sleep and shouted about the danger of having these monsters move into our community. Fear guided their actions and triggered exactly what they wanted. These racists cost the town, aside from the hefty price tag, a tremendous amount of anxiety, pain and sleepless nights. Thankfully though, Mainers are wonderful people who came out in droves to support the new comers...at the end, these neo Nazis indirectly united that little town and showed the real metal of these great people.
The Letter - hope for the future & proud to be an American
nina-898 July 2004
In this time of anger, distrust, and divisiveness, The Letter brings people together as neighbors, as community members, as Americans despite ethnicity, religion, skin color, or country of origin. Although most of us are the children of immigrants, never have immigrant groups had an easy entrance into our society. Despite Lady Liberty's promises newcomers have endured a challenging transition into American culture. The Letter highlights the pros and cons of a Somali group's arrival to Lewiston, Maine, but this story could have happened anywhere in our country. Some members of the city were thrilled about the influx of immigrants; some were furious. Is this not what has happened in every community across our nation when newcomers have arrived? Isn't there always concern for jobs? Don't people always worry about housing, about sharing limited resources, about understanding cultural differences? Why are we always afraid of what we don't understand? The Letter gives hope that we can live together, that we can learn to understand and appreciate each other, that the contributions of another culture do in fact enrich the community as a whole. This film must be seen by everyone who cares about really being an American. We are a melting pot, and we're a better people, and a better country, because of it. Thank you, Ziad H. Hamzeh, for so powerfully representing this very American experience.
Brilliant work!!!
shukri_farah6 July 2004
The film (the Letter) is an impressive piece of work. A true story, very well put together with a wealth of useful messages and information that has opened a new page in the history of the people in Lewiston, ME.
'The letter' shows the beauty of America. Where else would one find this type of life? - Where two opposing sides (bad ones trying to kick out innocent/hard working immigrants who are contributing to the economy of Lewiston, and the good ones putting their lives in the line of fire to show the world a real humane action) came to challenge each other.
As a Somali, I am overwhelmed by the sacrifice extended for the well-being and the safety my people enjoy today in Lewiston, Maine. My praise to the good people (supporters) of Lewiston, ME. Praise also to the courageous Somalis who refused to be intimidated by the ignorant hate groups.
Praise and special thanks to Mr. Ziad Hamzeh, the filmmaker and his team who had produced this well balanced, informative piece of work. Braaaaaaavoooooo!!!
Hamzeh Mystique Film Team please keep up the good work!
'The letter' shows the beauty of America. Where else would one find this type of life? - Where two opposing sides (bad ones trying to kick out innocent/hard working immigrants who are contributing to the economy of Lewiston, and the good ones putting their lives in the line of fire to show the world a real humane action) came to challenge each other.
As a Somali, I am overwhelmed by the sacrifice extended for the well-being and the safety my people enjoy today in Lewiston, Maine. My praise to the good people (supporters) of Lewiston, ME. Praise also to the courageous Somalis who refused to be intimidated by the ignorant hate groups.
Praise and special thanks to Mr. Ziad Hamzeh, the filmmaker and his team who had produced this well balanced, informative piece of work. Braaaaaaavoooooo!!!
Hamzeh Mystique Film Team please keep up the good work!
Utterly Absorbing...brilliantly constructed...SEE IT!
samuelfrench12 July 2004
Lately, I have fallen in love with the documentary genre. Not only do you get to see an ultimate honesty in presentation but you get to leave the Hollywood stupidity far behind. It is like guilty pleasures that are newly found. Some documentaries have the magical powers to divide a nation faster than the red sea. Others have the ability to make you think. The Letter has the unique ability to unite, to inspire, and to move you to a place where being good means ultimate cool. The sound mix is very smart. It moves you effortlessly and appropriately between scenes helping underscore the values imparted. The visuals are wonderfully balanced with a hard sense of reality. The editing is great. Unlike those PBS slow...eternal zooming in on a still picture while someone is telling you how to feel, The Letter engulfs you fully not letting up until the time the usher comes and says: you have to leave now, sir. GREAT JOB.
Complex, and beautiful
Ashlevine12 August 2004
One of the strongest elements about this film is the editing style. It puts it on a level by itself. More importantly, it allows the viewer to come to the hopeful conclusion that they reach. The quick cuts are masterful in delivering just the right amount of information so that it moves and links the story brilliantly. Maybe this film was made with young alert audience in mind because it certainly demands your attention and full faculty. The unfolding of the event and seeing stock footage was very clear in the film-making style. The eveness in the intreviews were highly appreciated.
This film is honest, and truthful.
This film is honest, and truthful.
A truly important film, both timely and timeless
mariellep8 July 2004
This compelling documentary is richly complex, constructively provocative, and ultimately inspiring. The dramatic true story of one town's response to its newest community members engages the audience personally, reminding us of our own immigrant ancestry, of our brave predecessors who built America through their staunch dedication to democratic ideals in the face of strategic opposition, and of the destructive societal patterns that still lurk in our midst, requiring that we never stop paying attention. Given the global society in which we now live, and the urgency for understanding the roots of the hatred and terrorism that have changed the international landscape so gravely, this universally relevant story can help us face the challenges of our contemporary world with hope and insight. Everyone should see this film
and talk about it.
New York, NY
Ashlevine8 April 2004
The Letter certainly exhibits if nothing else, film-making at its best. Here is a really good example of how art can have the power to heal. Through out the journey you will feel exposed, confused, hurt until you arrive to a place of understanding and forgiveness. You will feel elevated by the experience to a really wonderful place. The fact that I sit here writing about a film when I have rarely taken the time to do this task for any other film is in itself very telling. Not only do I recommend this film but I would go as far as to say it is a must see work of pure compassion.
This film has presented me with so many rich views. It forced a sense of honesty from me in analyzing the issues at hand. Not too many films are capable of such a power and poetic beauty. I hope to see more films from this company.
This film has presented me with so many rich views. It forced a sense of honesty from me in analyzing the issues at hand. Not too many films are capable of such a power and poetic beauty. I hope to see more films from this company.
An astounding, purely subjective assault of a documentary
tomservo136 January 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Lewiston, ME is a wasteland. Formerly a thriving mill town, the past forty years have reduced the community to an urban dump that has fostered poverty, ignorance, and a hybrid of redneckism that is one of the worst imaginable. I should know; my father has lived there for the past ten years. On weekends, I saw first-hand the trap that Lewiston is, that nothing good, productive, or culturally vibrant ever emerged from that city. Two years ago, this cultural mire reached its apex with a letter written by Lewiston mayor Larry Raymond to the city's Somali immigrant population, telling them to stop encouraging their friends and family to move to the city.
All of this is the subject of a documentary which received its New York premiere at the New York African Diaspora Film Festival: The Letter. Normally, one might be able to keep a certain distance from this material, recognizing it as merely a political documentary of an event happening in some place at some time. This, however, proved to be impossible for me; watching The Letter was the most subjective, intense, visceral cinematic experience I have ever had.
Shot on digital video, the filmmaker, Ziyad H. Hamzeh, weaves a story of a community attempting to reassert itself, and the Somali people seeking a better life for their families. At the same time, Hamzeh illuminates the vicious, ignorant, misinformed negative reaction that occurs from sections of the almost completely white city. Hamzeh shows how the crux of the anti-Somali argument--that the immigrants do nothing but sap welfare funds and other municipal resources--is a myth. He also does something that made me want to vomit: he shows just how unbelievably ignorant a large portion of the people of Lewiston really are. They spew thinly veiled racist barbs, saying that it was the Somalis who caused the death of Staff Sgt. Thomas Field, a local Marine who was killed in the October 1993 peacekeeping fiasco (never mind the fact that the very people who did that to Field were also slaughtering the families of the people who currently reside in Lewiston). They buy into the rumours that the Somalis are nothing but vampires on the town, sucking it dry. They believe the common stereotypes that the immigrants are lazy, violent, unable to communicate with English-speakers, and have no working skills. Even Raymond himself is caught with his pants down, when the filmmakers reveal that his own granddaughter is attempting to adopt an African-American child. He is unable to answer any questions on the subject.
After Mayor Raymond publishes his now-infamous letter, two rallies are planned: one by The World Church of the Creator (a white supremacist group) and a more general rally preaching tolerance and love of one's fellow man. Both occur on the same day. Gov. John Baldacci (D) and U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe (R) and Susan Collins (R) both attend the pro-tolerance rally. Mayor Raymond is on vacation in Florida at the time of the rallies. Miraculously, both go off without any violence, but tensions run high as massive numbers of police forces are stationed at both events. The issue has now faded from the front pages, but like all racial issues, it still exists beneath the surface.
My own mother and brother--one a Democrat, the other a centrist--have bought into the idea that the letter was justified, that the immigrants are swamping the city's economic infrastructure. My ire toward them was strong before; it is scarcely containable now. Why must the welfare of white people be placed over these Somalis, simply because the whites came before? This film effectively and overwhelmingly illustrates that these anti-Somali arguments are nothing more than tangential stances of racism. It is easy to be a liberal, anti-racist individual; but when the disgusting, vicious, racist element is on one's back doorstep, it makes one furious. And people wonder why I hated living in Maine.
All of this is the subject of a documentary which received its New York premiere at the New York African Diaspora Film Festival: The Letter. Normally, one might be able to keep a certain distance from this material, recognizing it as merely a political documentary of an event happening in some place at some time. This, however, proved to be impossible for me; watching The Letter was the most subjective, intense, visceral cinematic experience I have ever had.
Shot on digital video, the filmmaker, Ziyad H. Hamzeh, weaves a story of a community attempting to reassert itself, and the Somali people seeking a better life for their families. At the same time, Hamzeh illuminates the vicious, ignorant, misinformed negative reaction that occurs from sections of the almost completely white city. Hamzeh shows how the crux of the anti-Somali argument--that the immigrants do nothing but sap welfare funds and other municipal resources--is a myth. He also does something that made me want to vomit: he shows just how unbelievably ignorant a large portion of the people of Lewiston really are. They spew thinly veiled racist barbs, saying that it was the Somalis who caused the death of Staff Sgt. Thomas Field, a local Marine who was killed in the October 1993 peacekeeping fiasco (never mind the fact that the very people who did that to Field were also slaughtering the families of the people who currently reside in Lewiston). They buy into the rumours that the Somalis are nothing but vampires on the town, sucking it dry. They believe the common stereotypes that the immigrants are lazy, violent, unable to communicate with English-speakers, and have no working skills. Even Raymond himself is caught with his pants down, when the filmmakers reveal that his own granddaughter is attempting to adopt an African-American child. He is unable to answer any questions on the subject.
After Mayor Raymond publishes his now-infamous letter, two rallies are planned: one by The World Church of the Creator (a white supremacist group) and a more general rally preaching tolerance and love of one's fellow man. Both occur on the same day. Gov. John Baldacci (D) and U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe (R) and Susan Collins (R) both attend the pro-tolerance rally. Mayor Raymond is on vacation in Florida at the time of the rallies. Miraculously, both go off without any violence, but tensions run high as massive numbers of police forces are stationed at both events. The issue has now faded from the front pages, but like all racial issues, it still exists beneath the surface.
My own mother and brother--one a Democrat, the other a centrist--have bought into the idea that the letter was justified, that the immigrants are swamping the city's economic infrastructure. My ire toward them was strong before; it is scarcely containable now. Why must the welfare of white people be placed over these Somalis, simply because the whites came before? This film effectively and overwhelmingly illustrates that these anti-Somali arguments are nothing more than tangential stances of racism. It is easy to be a liberal, anti-racist individual; but when the disgusting, vicious, racist element is on one's back doorstep, it makes one furious. And people wonder why I hated living in Maine.
Compelling
swansswan30 July 2004
"The Letter," an accomplished, vibrating, fast-paced documentary by Syrian-American Ziad Hamzeh and crew whose eight cameras rolled for a total of 55 hours, takes a strong viewpoint for the Somalis and for American idealism. While it does give time to the mayor's contention that the city just did not have the resources to accommodate that sudden addition of refugees, it does not allow much, if any, to the eventual economic solution. Rather, this is about racism. In bitter, large doses. The mayor's 3-page "Open Letter to the Community" of Oct. 3, 2002 advises the 1,100 Somali immigrants that they are straining the town's resources and, explicitly, that they should not invite any more of their people to come. The assertions true or not, the blunt and tactless words drew all media attention to this beleagured and completely overwhelmed mayor who appears in the film as possibly sincere but too small in his perceptions to handle the issues involved. As the presence of the White Supremacists looms, he decides to take a vacation in Florida. As Hamzeh's cameras and film editors go to work, we are drawn into the rage of the town's unemployed and fearful. The locals, not used to people of color in the community, vent their frustrations in contorted shouts of anger as rumor and imagination run rampant with invented charges and bizarre statements born of hysteria. Emotional close-ups dominate the film, the twisted faces of hate intertwined with those of reason, so skillfully designed by Hamzeh that absolutely no conventional narration is needed. Racism, and the reactions for and against it, tell their own story.
Proclaims the spokesman of the White Supremacists, "All men are created equal had never been intended to apply to any but White Christians!" as the largest police force in Maine's history converges in the streets to separate Nazi-saluting and Klan contingents from the counter-protesters.
Hamzeh keeps his film boiling, escalating from the mere disturbing to an American nightmare in modern times. Reports a BBC correspondent in Africa as the reports roll in, "Maine's a great place to live, except in Lewiston."
It's a matter of record that even this has passed. Gratifyingly, the film shows, the agony of the event may have been worth it, in the end strengthening the old Maine racial acceptance tradition and exposing the inanities and ignorance of agitators. It is dynamic, focused and compelling.
Proclaims the spokesman of the White Supremacists, "All men are created equal had never been intended to apply to any but White Christians!" as the largest police force in Maine's history converges in the streets to separate Nazi-saluting and Klan contingents from the counter-protesters.
Hamzeh keeps his film boiling, escalating from the mere disturbing to an American nightmare in modern times. Reports a BBC correspondent in Africa as the reports roll in, "Maine's a great place to live, except in Lewiston."
It's a matter of record that even this has passed. Gratifyingly, the film shows, the agony of the event may have been worth it, in the end strengthening the old Maine racial acceptance tradition and exposing the inanities and ignorance of agitators. It is dynamic, focused and compelling.
The Letter affirms the goodness of the American people
nchmccps1 February 2004
The emotional and political tug-of-war that erupted in Lewiston, Maine after the arrival of many Somali immigrants is extraordinarily well represented in this riveting documentary. As an audience member, I could feel and understand the fear, confusion, hatred and hope that was expressed by the various members of the community. The story is heart-wrenching and yet uplifting, and I love that there's no narrator telling me what to think - each person speaks for him/herself as the story is stitched together dramatically, powerfully, beautifully. Seeing this documentary forces me to accept that we still have a long way to go before prejudice is eliminated from our country, however the people of Lewiston also reminded me that we are a nation of generous, caring, and sincere people who regularly open our arms to others. In the wake of 9-11, I hope that everyone will see this film and commit themselves to being as welcoming of immigrants as the good people of Lewiston have been.
Stunning Victory
davidburndy29 March 2005
An emotionally exhausting, spiritually satisfying, and powerful executed tale that penetrates even the jaded. After the credits ended, I sat in my seat for a long time thinking that this film has honor, integrity and certainly the right reasons to make such a film. The situation could have been so easily exploited for someone's gain but not here. This story is told with such compassion that it was really hard to leave my seat and the energy that I was wrapped up in. The guy next seat turned to me and whispered "Good stuff, aye" " Yeah" I replied with great feeling of ownership in this well crafted film. I think that everyone that cares about America and the whole world for that matter needs to see this film. But I think anyone who cares about great film-making will make the trip for this jewel.
thought provoking look at discrimination
siajoyce28 March 2004
This film had me riveted to my seat. It is a compelling look from different view points as a group of Somalians move into Lewiston, Maine. National attention was focused on this town as there was fear that violence would prevail. The director did a superb job showing the emotions and frustrations of the factions involved. My hope is that lots of people will see this film and be as inspired and impressed as I was. .
Few Films can take you on such a great journey.
ronedwards26 February 2004
Lately, it seems that film with emphasis on insane characters are being honored by the Oscars while truly memorable and creative films don't see the light of day. I certainly hope that it would not be the case with THE LETTER. I left the screening with tears running down my face yet with great satisfaction that my country is a compassionate one and its people are decent. Those warm tears on that cold night will be burned as a reminder in my heart that we do have great filmmakers that care about something else other than their egos. Please everyone, go see the film and you will know what I am talking about. You will certainly feel obligated to go out and tell everyone about the experience and how timely this film is. Keep those films alive!
All of us were there...
dmi0530 May 2004
This movie is what America is all about. (Why do we need to be reminded??) At one time or another every group was hated and discriminated against--so, in some ways, we (be it ourselves or our ancestors) have been there. We need to be reminded of our beginnings-- that we began as a country to be the open to all, to accept all thoughts and beliefs, to accept all cultures. This is where people come to in order to escape abuse and oppression. Just because of 9-11 we don't stop being that. Where else would a KKK-like group, the Somalian refugees and the average Joe-down-the-street all have equal air time, all have their opinions count? The film celebrates America by showing all of these views. The film allows the viewer to form his/her own opinion on the matter. There is no slant or leaning. The KKK-like guy is going to come out of this movie feeling like his beliefs were expressed. The Somalians will come out of this feeling like their situation was explained. Land of the Free. Home of the Brave. All characters in this film prove both. The film makes you proud to be an American when you see our ideals are prevail. (And, the tears of that little girl will stay with you forever.)
extremely necessary documentary
asmando14 April 2004
This should be required viewing for any city official, any community organizer--any resident of any town in America. I was profoundly impacted by this film, and thank the filmmaker immensely for the style in which this documentary is shot and put together. I was present for an introduction by Mr. Hamzeh, and a question/answer period after the screening. His research and process was incredible, and his even-handedness in presenting the story is remarkable. Seeing the complacency and ease with which many of the townspeople accepted and perpetuated misinformation, I am newly resolved to reach out - with intention and frequency - to newcomers around me. If not, I am a part of the problem, no better than another hypocrite, unaware of my own grandparents' struggle, good fortune, and debt of gratitude to their neighbors.
Superb Work
grandgeko10 June 2005
This is truly a revolutionary work. The depth of this documentary is astounding. Even as a 16 year old i can see how relevant it is to today's society. The Somali "invasion" is a greatly under looked problem in our country. The persecution and discrimination in this time, in our country is disgusting. Hamzeh does a wonderful job of portraying this problem from both lights, that of the Somalis and that of the locals, without discrimination. So smooth that the even without the use of a narrator the viewer can easily follow the ideas and theme throughout the length of the film. An excellent film with tension rivaling that of Hollywood thrillers, The Letter is a must see film.
WHAT A TREAT
alankingrod18 July 2004
I SAW THE LETTER AT THE Maine International film festival in waterville. Although, I had heard about the Lewiston problem, I had never enviosioned anything close to what I saw. The details in this film are wonderful. The story brilliantly told. It was very much like watching a great movie with a thrilling climax. More importantly though was the subject matter and the way it was told. Regardless of any political background, you will be drawn into the emotion of this film and ultimately jump on it wagon.
I highly recommend this film to everyone. I voted a 10
I highly recommend this film to everyone. I voted a 10
Wonderful!!!!
Shakibhamzeh13 February 2004
Cutting through the politics of our times right into the heart of ripe issues in a way I have rarely seen. The film is done in a manner where the audience member can't help but become engaged. The process is rewarding for everyone who attends the screenings. My hat off to the filmmakers.
Culture Clash
mrzipfour28 March 2004
"The Letter" is a great documentary about what happens when two cultures try to merge. A New England town striving to maintain its way of life gets upset when a large group of Somalians move in looking for a new beginning. Lewiston is divided about accepting these new people. Within the political structure of Lewiston the mayor has written a letter against these outsiders moving into his town. The situation is magnified by the press. Racial tensions surface. Separatist groups arrive to speak out against the Somalians. "The Letter" does not take sides but rather shows us through interviews with the opposing groups the difficulties some have in accepting others.
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