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Jawed Wassel

Wassel was an aspiring filmmaker who was born in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan in 1958. His parents had urged him to flee to Pakistan due to a prior invasion by the Soviet Union during that time. He would continue on in his career by working in theater during his college years in the United States. Wassel would eventually collaborate with Nathan Powell, whom he met in New York, on a film entitled FireDancer. The relationship turned volatile due to differing opinions on the stake of each partner on the film. On October 3, 2001, Powell brutally stabbed and dismembered Wassel, thus leaving Wassel's personal film unfinished at the time.

Career

In the years following his graduation, Wassel expressed interest in creating a film. Upon meeting Nathan Powell in New York in 1998, Wassel began the process of raising funds for his project - nearly one-half of a million dollars - mainly consisting of contributions from Afghan immigrants, although many have laid claims that Powell was one of main financial contributors, who would earn up to 30% of the profit. FireDancer was filmed mainly in and around New York and Washington D.C., and featured a cast primarily of Afghan descent, who Wassel recruited from George Mason University. However, some shots were filmed on location in Afghanistan and were confronted with Islamic fundamentalists who protested to disapprove of the appearance of certain female actresses. The film was to depict the lives of those who immigrated to the U.S. from Afghanistan and the many obstacles they face in day-to-day life. In his independent film, Wassel wanted to recount and incorporate the story of his youth as a immigrant from Soviet-invaded and Taliban-dominated Afghanistan to New York. He noted, "The movie couldn't have been made anywhere else but in America. It's the one place where everybody has a chance." FireDancer wasn't the only film project that Wassel worked on; he was also constructing a smaller documentary that would portray the displays of remembrance for the many victims who died in the September 11th, 2001 Terrorist Attacks.

End of Career and Death

Towards the end of the film's production, Wassel attempted to convince Powell to accept a stake of 10%, in place of the 30% of what the film would eventually generate that he was initially promised. Powell quickly became enraged and impaled Wassel with a pool cue; continuing, he "stabbed Wassel 'several times' before dismembering his body with a hacksaw". On October 4th, 2001, Wassel was expected at a film screening for his film in the borough of Manhattan, New York. When he didn't arrive to screening location on 55th Street, his friends became worried and notified the local authorities. Powell copped Wassel's body into pieces and stored them in boxes. The next day, Thursday, Powell was stopped by a police officer who noticed his suspicious behavior and the blood-stained boxes of Wassel's body. Police charged Powell with the murder of Wassel, although he initially plead not guilty. It was reported that Powell ended Wassel's life over logistics with FireDancer. An interview states that Powell's motivations were driven by his belief that Wassel "had contacts with the Taliban" and due to his alleged belief that Wassel made a trip to Afghanistan prior to the September 11th, 2001 Terrorist Attacks. Years after the murder of Jawed Wassel, friends still struggle with accepting the death and even claim to feel his presence in certain situations.

Filmography

• FireDancer (2002)