Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam

"Remarkable not just for the unique and sometimes divergent opinions and motivations of the artists, but for locating the cultural spark just as it catches fire."—Eye Weekly

Taqwacore chronicles the nascent Muslim punk rock movement in America. It was inspired by the work of Michael Knight, who converted to Islam in rebellion against his white-supremacist father. He went on to pen the novel "The Taqwacores" (a term combining the Muslim concept of God consciousness with hardcore punk), a manifesto for disillusioned Islamic teens. Soon young Muslim musicians were contacting him and a tour idea was hatched. The film follows Knight and a variety of young subversives on tour as they shock and awe spectators in the U.S. before bringing their music to Pakistan. They break every taboo along the way— as Knight exclaims, they’re giving the finger to both sides. The film charts their brave, foolish, and often exhilarating attempts to navigate the gap between their cultures and their countries, their religion and their individuality. (80 mins., HD video)