Duel in San Francisco

A 52 minute documentary in partnership with France 5 and Odyssée

“Duel in San Francisco” is the story of Maad Abu Ghazalah, a 39 year old Arabic American who has decided to fight so him and his “brothers” can be heard.

Last November, the first legislative elections since 9/11 were held. Without any political experience, Maad, who earns a good wage as a lawyer and computer scientist, decides to take a one year sabbatical in order to confront, within his electoral district, a major figure on the American political scene.
It is a huge challenge to take on Tom Lantos, a Jew with Hungarian origins, a holocaust survivor, elected on numerous occasions over the past 22 years with huge majorities. This, even more so, given the fact that Maad is of Palestinien origin and born in Naplouse. How does one take on a man of 74 who has almost unlimited campaign funds at his disposal, without a party and therefore no money in hand. How can one fight against a falcon, a champion of Jerusalem and partisan for the war in Irak, when fighting against the offence of having a “dirty face” and against this conflict that America seems to want so much?

However San Francisco is no ordinary electoral register. The opposition to Vientnam was born here, and in the weeks preceeding the elections, it is in this same town that the first demonstrations against this “war for petrol” take place. Tom Lantos who, up until now, directed his campaign from Washington, realises he can no longer ignore his young adversary. He returns to San Francisco and accepts a televised confrontation. The moment that Maad has long dreamed about.is finally here. Fighting shoulder to shoulder on the same stage, can he destabilise this moment in American political history?

On the day of the election, is America ready to listen to and elect an Arabic-American?