“Americanish,” the award-winning romantic comedy directed by Iman Zawahry, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Media Production, Management, and Technology lecturer and one of the first hijabi American-Muslim filmmakers, will premiere in select theaters in California and Arizona on Oct. 6, 2023, before its video-on-demand release through Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on Nov. 14.

Harkins Theatres, the largest independently owned theater company, will lead the first showings across California and Arizona.

The film is the first American Muslim romantic comedy made by diverse American Muslim women about Muslim women. It features three women living in Jackson Heights, Queens, tackling ambition, love and identity while balancing cultural and societal expectations. The film premiered at the CAAM Film Festival, the largest Asian American film festival in the nation, in May 2021 and received the coveted Audience Award. The film continued its ascent, collecting 25 awards, including Best Film and Best Director, before being acquired by Sony Pictures International Productions in January 2023.

“I didn’t think this day was a possibility in my lifetime,” Zawahry said. “I’m particularly excited to have audiences experience the film in a theater together. Nothing brings people together better than laughter and I hope that our film can do that!”

The film caught the attention of Harkins Theatres owner Dan Harkins from the first viewing when “Americanish” claimed the prestigious title of Best Comedy Film at the Phoenix Film Festival. In that moment, he recognized something truly exceptional and felt compelled to bring the film to his theaters.

Posted: September 15, 2023
Category: College News
Tagged as: American-Muslim Romantic Comedy, Americanish, Iman Zawahry, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment