Overview
The Balancing Arab tells the story of Hanan (played by Amira Sabbagh), a politically active Arab American, and Heidi, her Irish American personal fitness trainer (played by Leslie Frame). Set in a downtown Chicago gym during a training session, the mood turns tense as the two women recount an event at the Arab American Cultural Center a few nights earlier — an event at which the evening’s political discourse got filtered through decidedly different lenses.
The Balancing Arab explores conflicts that exist within and between political cultures and what happens when messaging gets stranded in context and lost in translation.
Creative Team
Written by
- Jamil Khoury
Directed by
- Anne Jacques
Executive Producer
- Malik Gillani
- Jamil Khoury
Assistant Director
- Deann Baker
Director of Photography
- Drew Pientka
Original Score & Sound
- Peter J. Storms
Assistant Camera
- Jesse Hibbs
Gaffer
- Tim Stotz
Editor
- Deann Baker
Script Supervisor
- Elias Feghaly
Production Manager
- Caitlin Duerinck
Sound Mixer
- Jason Ssg
Make Up and Hair
- Lydia Pligge
Athletic Consultant
- Andrew James Preston
Props Master
- Jesse Gaffney
Cast
Amira Sabbagh as HANAN
Leslie Frame as HEIDI
Script
Special Thanks
- 3Arts
- Boeing
- The Field Foundation of Illinois
- The First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple
- Karen Atwood
- Sheila Chapman
- Geeta Citygirl
- Jo Anne Davis
Screening History
- July 6, 2012 | The University of Chicago Startalk Program, hosted at Silk Road Rising, Chicago, Illinois
- October 4, 2012 | Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- November 13, 2012 | Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois
- April 5, 2013 | Braiding Rivers Festival, hosted at Links Hall, Chicago, Illinois
- November 10, 2013 | Wilmette Public Library, Wilmette, Illinois
- December 10, 2013 | American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- April 25, 2014 | Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois
- May 20, 2014 | University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
- February 26, 2015 | Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois
- April 28, 2016 | Evanston Township High School, Evanston, Illinois
- March 31, 2017 | Religion Communicators Council Convention, hosted at St. James Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois
- October 17, 2018 | 150 North Michigan Ave Building, hosted by Silk Road Rising, Chicago, Illinois
- May 17, 2019 | Steppenwolf Theatre, hosted at Silk Road Rising, Chicago, Illinois
- June 11, 2019 | American Center, Moscow, Russia