WHAT’S ON THE SURFACE
“Still” is a video created by Anisa Ibrahim with the following characters: Zack, Issa’s mother, Aunt, Uncle, security guards, Mayor, nurses. She depicts the day her family went to the hospital to support her aunt and help her identify the body of her son, Zack. The story follows Anisa’s family as they try to see the body of her cousin Zack, but the police refuse. After numerous requests from all the family members, even the uncle who is a lawyer, they are finally allowed to see the body with help from the mayor.
WHAT’S BELOW THE SURFACE?
With the mention of 9/11, the narrator is speaking to an American audience whose islamophobia is often associated with 9/11. In her video, Anisa is trying to communicate the discrimination Muslims face in many parts of the world which is associated with violence and blame for attacks like 9/11. The tone of this video is overall formal with a hint of grief and anger. Through images, music, and plot, Anisa appeals to the listeners' emotions with such a powerful story and expresses her pain about the discrimination Muslims face (Pathos). I think the creator does appeal to her audiences and fully communicates with them with the visuals and plot of the story. She conveys her frustration and anger well with the visuals which connect more with the audience.