Ghosts of Sugar Land

Ghosts of Sugar Land is a 2019 documentary film directed by Bassam Tariq, written by Thomas Niles and Bassam Tariq, and starring Jennifer Julian and Kc Okoro. The premise revolves around Mark, a young American Muslim man who converted to Islam and became radicalized. The film premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and was released on Netflix on October 16, 2019. As of October 2021, 100% of the six critical reviews compiled on Rotten Tomatoes are positive, with an average rating of 8/10.

A favorite of the festival circuit from 2019, Tariq’s Sundance-winning doc invites you into the lives of a group of young Muslims, and they attempt to understand the disappearance of a close friend. With a story that plays out like a true-crime narrative, as the interviewees try to unravel whether their friend was an extremist or an informant, Ghosts of Sugar Land finds the perfect balance between entertainment and insight, making it one of the most accessible short docs on Netflix.

Alongside its Sundance win for Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction, Tariq’s doc was also nominated for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the festival and awards at SXSW and Sheff DocFest in the same year. With his debut feature Mogul Mowgli making a splash on the festival circuit in 2020, Tariq’s filmmaking stock is rapidly rising.

Detail information:
Link film: https://www.netflix.com/title/81081656
Initial release: January 26, 2019
Running time: 21 minutes