Official Website: www.hamzehmystiquefilms.com/theletter; Purchase THE LETTER: www.arabfilm.com/item/300/
In THE LETTER: An American Town and the "Somali Invasion" director Ziad H. Hamzeh explores what American news outlets have dubbed the Somali Invasion of Lewiston, Maine -- an insulated, predominantly white former mill town struggling to maintain its equilibrium in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy.
A firestorm of controversy erupts when Lewiston, Maine Mayor Larry Raymond sends an open letter to the 1,100 newly-arrived Somali refugees. He informs them that the city's resources are strained to the limit and asks them to tell other Somalis not to move to the city, a move interpreted as racism by some and a rallying cry by white supremacist groups across the United States.
THE LETTER documents the ensuing cross-current of emotions and events, culminating in an anti-immigrant rally convened by The World Church of the Creator and a counter demonstration involving nearly 4,000 Lewiston residents supporting ethnic and cultural diversity.
