Bilal's Stand

Bílal is an insightful upright teen in a world where young Muslims like him are an endangered species. He balances time between working at the Stand to help his family get by, staying up late to finish homework, keeping his want-to-be-gangster cousins in check, and trying to keep the “scrubs” away from his younger sister Mila. The film starts with Bílal carrying a college application around in his pocket. He’s afraid to open it for the pain that rejection will bring and the unknown complexity of acceptance. On a whim he learns about a scholarship for ice sculpting and daringly sets out to win it. However, afraid of what his family might think, Bilal doesn't tell anyone about his true reasons behind his new hobby. He gets caught up in a juggling act but soon learns that he can't please everyone. The story takes the viewer into the complex social world of a young Black teen and how he balances family responsibility, pressure from friends, academic goals, and spirituality. This film is one of the few ways in which people from all walks of life can be given a first hand, in-depth look at the real issues faced by many young Americans. .