Los Angeles/Washington DC - Ongoing conversations between NIAC and the director and actors in the upcoming film, ‘Crossing Over,’ reached a positive conclusion last week. According to the film’s director, all elements of an honor killing in the script have been eliminated. Written in the tradition of ‘Crash,’ the film follows the struggles of individuals from different immigrant communities as they strive to ‘cross over’ from illegal residency to documented citizenship. Harrison Ford is playing the lead role of Max Brogan, a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.

His partner, Hamid Baraheri, played by Cliff Curtis, is a naturalized Iranian-American citizen. The star-studded ensemble cast also features Sean Penn, Ashley Judd, and Ray Liotta. The film is currently in the last stages of production and is due out this December.

At issue was the depiction of Iranian Americans committing an 'honor killing' in Los Angeles, a scenario that is both highly unlikely and potentially inflammatory. In a letter to ‘Crossing Over' director/producer Wayne Kramer on May 15, NIAC outlined its concerns.

If 'significant changes' were not made, NIAC wrote, 'the film will generate serious backlash against the Iranian American community, further punishing a population that has been increasingly the target of discrimination in this time of escalated tensions between the U.S. and Iran.' The producer immediately contacted NIAC to discuss the issue and agreed take its concerns into consideration.

NIAC later submitted its analysis and suggestions to the production team, which changed elements of the script and even re-shot certain scenes. The final product, the director says, does not include any reference to 'family honor' and does not depict an honor killing.