'Let an actual Syrian tell it': outrage after Lena Dunham signs up to write Spielberg refugee film

Lena Dunham in October
Lena Dunham in October Credit: Bravo

Girls creator Lena Dunham has landed her first major film writing gig, and caused controversy in the process.

The Golden Globe-winning actress, director and writer has been brought on by Steven Spielberg and Star Wars: The Force Awakens director JJ Abrams to adapt a non-fiction account of a Syrian refugee for film.

A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee’s Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival was published by  Melissa Fleming, the chief spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner, last January. It tells the true story of Doaa Al Zamel, a woman who was shipwrecked while fleeing Egypt for Sweden and had to keep herself, and her two small children, alive in open water with only the support of an inflatable water ring.

After the news was broken by Variety, Dunham tweeted: "Very lucky to have this job, to tell this story, to support this truth with these people." Fleming shared the update, adding: "And I feel very lucky to have the remarkable @lenadunham adapting my book, A Hope More Powerful than the Sea to a screenplay, and the masters, Steven Spielberg & JJ Abrams making it into a film."

Many others, however, did not see the good fortune in the appointment of Dunham as the film's writer, mainly because, as a white woman who grew up in TriBeCa, an affluent New York City neighbourhood, Dunham has limited experience of being a Syrian refugee.

Those critics on Twitter frequently requested or suggested that Dunham work alongside "as many Syrians and refugees as possible" to make the film, as posted by writer Nasri Atallah, while reporter Daniel Medinah asked: "Hollywood, was no female Arab writer available?"

While, on Twitter at least, Dunham's post was met with near-unanimous criticism, some did point out that Abrams and Spielberg – who are also white filmmakers – were not receiving the same level of backlash. 

It's not the first time Dunham has invited race-based criticism in her work. Her first series of Girls met with controversy for featuring so few characters of colour, which was further compounded by casting notes that suggested racial stereotyping. The past five years have seen her issue endless social media apologies for causing offence through ill-advised jokes and comments.

So far, neither the film's studio, Paramount, nor Spielberg or Abrams, have commented on A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea. The project is the first Dunham has announced since last week's news that Lenny Letter, her project with Girls and Camping co-creator Jenni Konner, would be stopping after four years.

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