‘You Can’t Manufacture Authenticity’: the Makers of Australian Series ‘House of Gods’ Talk Challenging Stereotypes, Religion and Community
variety.comCallum McLennan “House of Gods,” a Matchbox Pictures six-part series, boasting an entirely Arab Australian cast, presents a perspective seldom seen on screen, a Muslim community in Fairfield, Australia. “You can’t manufacture authenticity.
Audiences are so intuitive and adept, they can smell if something is off a mile away. So for us, having actors who understood the idiosyncrasies of Arab/Muslim culture added an intangible layer of soul to the show,” explained Osamah Sami, co-creator and one of the stars of the show. “We both were raised in a religious setting where culture, traditions and spiritual beliefs govern daily lives.
Immigration often reinforces our desire to cling on to our motherland customs even tighter” Shahin Shafaei co-creator shared with Variety. “As storytellers, we have both previously highlighted the lived experiences of our community in film and theater.
But with ‘House of Gods’ we found an opportunity to explore this “living organism” which is the community in a deeper way. ” Osamah Sami’s childhood was marked by displacement in Iran amidst the Iran-Iraq conflict, a narrative he later recounted in his award-winning novel, “Good Muslim Boy.” Similarly, Shahin Shafaei’s creative expression with his play in Iran led to dire consequences, forcing him to flee.
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