Arab American Film and Television

Throughout the history of American cinema, Arabs have been depicted in various negative and contradictory ways. In different contexts, Arabs have been depicted as remote from civilization, frivolous, repressive, and violent. While the depictions of Arabs living in the Middle East have included these stereotypes, the distinctly Arab American experience has been largely neglected. In recent years Arab American writers, producers, and directors have created television programs and films which attempt to undercut the negative stereotypes surrounding Arabs and to depict the everyday experiences of Arab Americans.

This guide seeks to spotlight relevant materials to researchers interested in the history of depictions of Arabs in Hollywood, the numerous Arab-American directors, writers, actors, and producers, and the Arab-American experience as depicted in movies and television. It lists selected databases, books, and moving and still images to facilitate exploration of the often-overlooked contributions of Arab Americans in the history of cinema, to foster a deeper understanding of the experiences of Arab Americans, and to critically analyze film and media.

This guide was curated in 2024 by UCLA Library Student Research Assistants Yassin Nacer, Marie Fucile, and Riona Tsai.

Additional Research Guides:

The research guide curators acknowledge that terminology and naming of ethnic, racial categories is complex, imperfect, often contentious, and contextual. See below for some resources and examination of terms.