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Twenty-five years after Yusuf Abdurahman left Somalia as a refugee to begin his life anew in Minneapolis, Minnesota his worst fear is realized when his 19-year-old-son Zacharia is arrested in an FBI counterterrorism sting.
In "Accept the Call," filmmaker Eunice Lau chronicles Yusuf’s journey over three years as he tries to understand why his son would leave his American life behind to attempt to join the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria.
In April 2015, Zacharia Abdurahman was arrested for planning to leave the U.S. to join ISIS. After a trial in Minneapolis he was sentenced to ten years in jail, leaving his family searching for answers as to how and why he became radicalized.
Through interviews with Zacharia’s family, mainly his father Yusuf, his sister Ikraan, and others, including the FBI informant who was involved in the sting, Lau gradually reveals Zacharia’s family and how they come to terms with his arrest.
As the Abdurahmans learn more about each other and settle into their own lives in Minneapolis–the city with the largest population of Somalis in the country, many of whom practice Islam–the film explores racism and prejudice against immigrants on a wider scale, detailing the rise of targeted recruitment by radicalized groups, and the struggles of Muslim youth growing up in the U.S. today.
In the most personal moments of the film between Yusuf and Zacharia as they try to mend their relationship, Lau captures their phone conversations while Zacharia is confined to federal prison. Through these conversations, Yusuf attempts to find the reasons — the societal and personal factors — behind his son’s decision.
Lauded as “hard-hitting” by Variety.
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Credits:
YouTube Social Impact is a distribution partner of "Accept the Call" on PBS. The film received co-production support from ITVS through its Diversity Development Fund, which contributes to research and development for films by producers of color. Produced and directed by Eunice Lau. Edited and co-produced by Yasu Inoue. Executive Producers are Sally Jo Fifer and Lois Vossen. Supervising Producer: Ben Selkow. Consulting Producer: Noland Walker. Presented by ITVS, the series is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
