In the years following his graduation , Wassel expressed interest in creating a film . Upon meeting Nathan Powell in New York City in 1998 , Wassel began the process of raising funds for his project — nearly $ 500,000 — 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 by 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 an immigrant from Soviet-invaded and Taliban-dominated Afghanistan to New York . He said , " The movie could n't have been made anywhere else but in America . It 's the one place where everybody has a chance . " However , '' FireDancer '' was not 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 11 attacks in 2001
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Jawed Wassel