Pigskin

Boston, Massachusetts | Film Short

Drama, Sport

Omar Moustafa Ghonim

1 Campaigns | California, United States

13 days :18 hrs :51 mins

Until Deadline

27 supporters | followers

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$2,776

Goal: $8,500 for production

Pigskin is a story exploring what it’s like being a Muslim-American playing football in the U.S. during the holy month of Ramadan. An all-star high school quarterback and his head coach discuss the generational trauma of being Muslim in a post-9/11 America during an evening practice.

About The Project

  • The Story
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  • The Team
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Mission Statement

As a First Generation Muslim Arab-American, finding my identity was always a struggle. I grew up in an all-white town in the South Shore of Massachusetts where I was constantly misunderstood & treated differently for my background. Pigkin sheds light on that experience and how it affects us all.

The Story

PIGSKIN


WHAT IS PIGSKIN ABOUT?

Inspired by a true story; Pigskin is the story of Ahmed & Omar, an all-star high school quarterback and his new head coach. They are two Muslims from two different generations in an all-white town. As the holy month of Ramadan begins, Coach Omar decides to make a switch and change practice for Ahmed to the evenings so he can practice after breaking his fast. As Ahmed prepares for his senior year of high school, his college & NFL dreams hang in the balance as he's taken away from his teammates during the most crucial time he has to train as a team with them.



WHAT IS THE STORY?

This short, proof-of-concept film, follows the first evening practice between the two protagonists. It's a hot summer night and tensions grow high as the frustration and confusion between Coach Omar, who is trying his best to save Ahmed from the challenges he faced as the only Muslim in town pursuing his NFL dreams in an early post 9/11 America, and Ahmed, a Gen-Z teenager who was born long enough after the events of September 11th, 2001 where he is firm and comfortable in his cultural and religious identity. They struggle to understand one another's motives as Coach Omar believes he's simply trying to "protect" his only Muslim player from prejudice and keeping him safe as he fasts the month of Ramadan, but deep down he's really only doing what he wishes was done for him; Ahmed's only focus is being the best player he can become for scouts going into his senior year to solidify his future. His friends may tease him for being Muslim and fasting but for our protagonists, the line gets blurred by what the true meaning of this teasing entails for Ahmed and his future.


Coach Omar & Ahmed must come to a common ground if they're going to be successful this season and represent their community in the best light.




WHAT IS PIGSKIN INSPIRED BY?

Real Life Inspiration From Star/Co-Writer, Omar Moustafa Ghonim:


Omar Moustafa Ghonim is a first generation Egyptian-American Muslim actor who grew up in the South Shore of Massachusetts playing football for Braintree High & Bridgewater State University. The story of Pigskin draws from the real life experience of our Star & Co-Writer/Producer. Being the only Arab/Muslim on the football team in a freshly Post 9/11 America was anything but easy for a young Arab athlete just trying to fit in and bond with his fellow teammates.


The trauma experienced from discrimination from teammates and coaches left a lasting imprint on Omar and have stuck with him even now over a decade after walking away from football.



WHY MAKE THIS FILM?

This story came to life because of the lack of stories representing the Arab & Muslim communities. I've been in the film industry for almost a decade and I've never been given the chance to play someone from my background because these stories simply are not being told. I decided to take matters into my own hands and tell my story. A story devoid of stereotypes, victimhood or villainous implications. I hope with this film we bring together all communities in a story that everyone can relate to. It would mean the world to fund and create this movie to further humanize Arabs & Muslims in film & media. What better way to tell this story than a feel-good football movie? Your pledge would make my dream come true and contribute to the beginning of a necessary shift in this industry.


WHY HELP MAKE THIS NOW?

Now more than ever, the climate around the Middle East and Arabs & Muslims worldwide has been that of dehumanization, discrimination & misinformation. We hope to fund and make this film as soon as we possibly can to change the narrative around what it's actually like to be an "Arab-American Muslim" and to explore what it's like to have lived in this country the for last 30 years and what it's becoming like for us currently. This story is but a small deposit into a revolution that's been long overdue.


HOW CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE?

We couldn't be more proud and excited to share this movie with you! In order to do so, we could use your contribution! All we need from you is a pledge to the fundraiser of whatever you can afford to offer! Next is getting the word out, once you've made your pledge, please make sure to share the project and the page link to your social media in order to to get as many eyes on it as possible! Lastly, make sure you follow along to track the productions progress and collect your incentives once we reach our goal!

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About This Team

OMAR MOUSTAFA GHONIM

Star, Co-Writer, Producer

Omar Moustafa Ghonim is a FIlm & TV actor who's appeared in over 25 TV shows & Films, as well as several national commercials! Born & raised in the South Shore of Massachusetts, Omar is a first generation Egyptian-American who spent his early days pursuing his love of sports. From Football to basketball, Omar was an avid sports fan with dreams of playing professionally. After discovering acting during a short stint as a Social Media Influencer on the 6-second video app "Vine"where he amassed over 600,000 followers, Omar decided to switch gears from Collegiate Football and pursue acting full-time. Now you can watch him in such shows as Law & Order: Organized Crime or the Oscar Nominated Netflix movie Don't Look Up!


TISHNA LODI

Writer and Director

Tishna Lodi, is a film professional who has worn many hats, from Production Assistant to 2nd Assistant Director to Producer. The Salon Mentorship Program, which supports upcoming South Asian creatives in Hollywood, named Tishna a mentee for their Class of 2021. She has worked for major studios such as Miramax and Select Management Group, representing talent and working in Development. Currently, she works at Brickyard VFX and still takes freelance AD work when it comes her way. Outside of film, she is a foodie, lover of animals, amateur gardener and currently planning her wedding.

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