Jiffest: "99% Honest" and "Coffe and Allah"

What a beautiful, soulful, groovy documentary. You only wished a documentary could be this enjoyable.

A documentary about United Minorities, a hip hop group in Norway. The film focused on 4 youngsters: Amina (Uganda), Assad (Pakistan), Haji (Iraq) and Emir (Bosnia). They got what it takes: talent, dedication, brain, maturity, and... Islam.

Beautiful music, beautiful voice.
Highly recommended.

"Coffee and Allah" was an elegant short story with a charming ending: a cup of coffee whose froth spelled "Allah". How can it go wrong.

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Film Info:

99% Honest (99% Aerlig)

Synopsis:
Emir, Amina, Haji and Assad are all members of the hip hop group Forente Minoriteter (United Minorities). The film follows them through their musical process, with its ups and downs. The film crew has followed the band for two years, resulting in an intimate encounter with some very charming and open young people. They are all different but still find common ground through their passion for music and, not least, in finding their own space and identity amid conflicting demands from friends, family and Norwegian society.

Info:
Forente Minoriteter, the main subject of this documentary, are a group of people from different backgrounds who strive to raise awareness and promote cultural diversity in music, dance, film, theater and writing.

Director: Rune Denstad Langlo
Country: Norway
Year:2008
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 70 min.
Language: Norwegian (with English subtitles).

Awards:
Nominated for Best Documentary and Best Score at the 2009 Amanda Awards, Norway.

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Coffee and Allah

Synopsis:
A young Muslim woman's appetite for coffee, Islam and a good game of badminton. When Oromo Ethiopian Abeba Mohammed moves to suburban Mt Albert, she has nothing but her faith in Allah, a taste for Ethiopian coffee, and a zest for life to sustain her. From behind her purdah, and no knowledge of English, Abeba struggles to make a connection with the people of her new homeland.

Info:
Coffee and Allah is not her only award-winning short film. Her 1996 short O Tamaiti won an award from New Zealand Film and TV Awards in 1996, while her 2001 short Still Life was awarded First Prize for Short Films at the 2001 Montréal World Film Festival.

Country: New Zealand
Year: 2007
Genre: Short
Duration: 14 min.
Language: English

Awards: 
Best Short Film at the 2008 Hawaii International Film Festival