The T Word

Without surprise, the forthcoming film Towelhead is drawing criticism because of it's controversial title. Muslim and Arab-American groups are calling for the filmmakers to change the title of the film, arguing that the current title only brings the racial slur further into the mainstream (I'm surprised South Asians haven't stepped into the mix, as the slur is used pretty liberally to describe anyone whose heritage originates from Turkey to Bangladesh). I've read the novel which the film is based on, and as far as I know, the title of the novel did not draw much criticism in 2005, but it's obvious that films receive significantly more publicity than novels. The novel universally condemns racism (as I would expect ethnic bildungsromans to do), and provides a pretty good image of the ugly reality of race relations in the suburbs (suburban Houston at that! My previous post should give some indication of how I feel about that issue). That being said, I don't think the audience that film will attract (I'm pretty sure it'll stay in indie theatres) needs to be told that racism is wrong. I'm more concerned about the people who will never see the movie but will see the title. The title is independant from the content of the film, putting the slur "towelhead" in the mainstream and softening the use of the term, without contextualizing the destructive purpose it holds. I'm concerned about people feeling more comfortable using the word after seeing that a film with the title "Towelhead" is being made. On top of that, the entrance of the film's title into the mainstream displays the casualness and ambivalence which racism against Arab, Muslim, and South Asian Americans is viewed (Think about some other racist slurs you know and ask yourself if ANY studio would publish a film with those names). I understand where Alicia Erian, the author of the book and co-writer of the screenplay, was coming from when she chose this title, and after reading the novel, I can comforably say that she is extremely talented and insightful, but I just think that the title will do significantly more harm than good. I do think that, despite the controversial title, the film itself should be good, as the novel was powerful and thought provoking (and much more disturbing than inspirational. Don't expect a Lebanese American version of The Namesake). Here's the trailer: