A documentary showing the struggles of Muslims against Islamophobia is set to debut at the Kısa’dan Hisse Film Festival in Istanbul this weekend.
Produced by the Bosphorus Center for Global Affairs, the documentary “Direction: Silent Resistance Against Islamophobia” will meet with viewers at the AKM Yeşilçam Cinema on Sunday.
The documentary addresses the pressure created by anti-Islamic laws and practices in France on the daily lives of Muslims. It conveys how bans applied in a wide range of areas, from education to working life, social life to sports, render individuals invisible, through the personal testimonies of victims. Striking examples reveal how freedom of religion and belief has been curtailed under the rhetoric of a “democratic-secular state.”
The process that began in France in 2004 with the headscarf ban for public employees has gradually spread to schools, sports organizations, and most civil society structures. With the “abaya law” passed in 2023, even Muslim female students are prohibited from wearing long skirts.
While recounting the invisible but determined struggle of Muslims against these pressures, Direction also exposes Europe's approach, which contradicts its rhetoric of democracy and freedom.
Bosphorus Center for Global Affairs has been working since 2015 to promote Türkiye's national and spiritual values both domestically and internationally.
