VIDEO CATALOGUE

MIDDLE EAST AND ISLAMIC WORLD VIDEO COLLECTION

The Middle East and Islamic World Video Collection is owned by the Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies of New York University.

Film collection location:
The Hagop Kevorkian Center
New York University
50 Washington Square South
255 Sullivan Street
New York, N.Y. 10012-1073
(212) 998-8873

Video Collection Film and Borrowing:
contact Jolynn Khamky at jk1945@nyu.edu



TABLE OF CONTENTS:



     




CATALOGUE FORMAT:
Film and video reviews are provided when possible by university faculty and staff members, and by other scholars in the field. If a film is reviewed, the reviewer's initials are indicated in brackets after the text. A key to reviewers is provided at the back of the guide. A description not followed by brackets indicates that the distributor's or director's summary has been used.

The following format is used to indicate further information about the film:
DREAMS OF HIND AND CAMILIA -- Title
1989 - Year
115 min. - Running Time
2" - Format (2" and 3/4" are videotape formats; 16 mm is film)
Color - Color
Arabic w/English subtitles - Language of film
M,H,U,G - Recommended audience (Middle School, High School, Undergraduate, Graduate)

BORROWING POLICY:
The Center owns more than 175 films and videotapes which are lent free of charge to universities, colleges, secondary and middle schools in the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut). Because we want to be fair to all who borrow our resources, we ask that you help us by respecting the following guidelines:

1. Please let the Kevorkian Center know well in advance (two weeks or more) when you will need a title. Though we can usually accommodate your needs right away, some films are very popular and circulate often.
2. The video lending period is limited to two days after the video is screened. That is, all titles should be mailed back to the Center within two days of their scheduled screening dates. The due date of the video is one week after the screening date.
3. A fine of $1.00 per day shall be charged for each day past the due date that the video remains unreturned. No videos will be lent to borrowers with unpaid fines.
4. The Center sends out all films and videos via UPS; please return them using UPS (Attention: Associate Director) so that we can track them when necessary. Borrowers who fail to return a video using UPS or another traceable mail service will be fined $10.00. If a video is lost as a result, the borrower will be charged $10.00 as well as the cost of replacing the title. If the title cannot be replaced, borrowing privileges will be suspended.
5. Borrowers who lose, damage, or fail to return a video will be charged to replace it.
6. All videos and films should be rewound before returning them to the Center.
7. The Center follows all laws and regulations regarding copyright, and expects borrowers to similarly comply. Copying a borrowed film or videotape is prohibited as is screening it for profit.

To borrow audiovisual materials, please contact Jolynn Khamky at or (212) 998-8873

Copyright © 1997. Shiva Balaghi Associate Director/Outreach Coordinator, The Hagop Kevorkian Center, NYU.


FILM/VIDEO CATALOGUE:

AFGHANISTAN: CAPTIVES OF THE WARLORDS:
A film made during Taliban control of the country. Emphasizes the usual issues. [RDM]

Al-NAKBA: THE PALESTINIAN CATASTROPHE:
1948, 1998, 56 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.

ALTALENA:
1994, 54 min, 2", Color, B/W, Some Hebrew w/English subtitles H,U,G
The startling story of the ship which nearly caused a civil war in the newborn state of Israel. The Altalena sailed in June 1948 from France, carrying over 900 refugees from WWII along with a large amount of arms and ammunition. The arrival of the ship during an Israeli initiated cease-fire in the war of 1948 with neighboring Arab countries posed serious problems: its landing would be a breach of the new government's international commitment and the munitions on board that Israel needed were considered a threat by the opposition for a possible coup d'etat. Directed by Ilana Tsur.

ARABS AND THE WEST: (Part V of The Arab World):
1991, 30 min., 2", Color, U,G.
Bill Moyers hosts a post-Gulf War interview with noted scholar Charles Issawi, who is professor emeritus of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton and past officer of the Egyptian Ministry of Finance and the United Nations. Despite the video's title, most of Moyers' questions deal with Islam and Muslims. He asks the standard issue questions, i.e. What do fundamentalists want? Which is the stronger unifying force: being Arab or being Muslim? and so on. Issawi's answers dispel basic false assumptions about Arabs and Muslims, such as the myth that pan-Arabism or pan-Islamism are anti-Western forces sweeping across the Middle East. Overall, however, much is left undiscussed and Moyers' questions are oddly ahistorical . [AGF] Produced by Public Affairs Television.


ARABS IN AMERICA:
1981, 28 min., 3/4", Color, H,U,G.
This upbeat survey of Arab immigration to the United States since the mid-19th century focuses on the problems faced and the adjustments made to become Americans. The imaginative use of old photographs as well as contemporary slides and interviews in communities ranging from Colorado to Connecticut, with special attention paid to the larger contemporary ethnic groups in Illinois and Michigan, is enhanced by an excellent musical score. [UNC] Wolfe and Friedlander for UCLA.

ARAMCO AT FIFTY:
1993, 53 min., 2", Color, B&W, M,H.
This promotional video focuses on the development of the American oil industry (and ARAMCO) in Saudi Arabia, beginning in 1933 with the first geological expeditions. Most valuable are early photos of exploration camps, regional topography, and the Arabian peninsula before development. The tape makes for a heroic tale, but as one might expect, fails to place American efforts in the larger context of oil exploration in the Arabian peninsula, Iran and Iraq that began with the British in the 1890s, and was joined by the Dutch, French and Americans in the next century. Briefly addresses the economics of oil and its effects on Saudi Arabia, preferring to concentrate on the good fortune it has brought to the kingdom. The Story of Oil is recommended for a history of oil and related development in the region, and Cities of Salt for a critique of the oil industry and its effects on Saudi Arabia. [AGF] Produced by ARAMCO.

ART AND THE ISLAMIC WORLD:
1993, 32 min, 2", Color, H,U,G.
An excellent and easily accessible video that uses as illustrations slides of architecture, art and fine arts from all over the Islamic world, including Macedonia, Nigeria, North Africa, Western Asia and China. Each slide is helpfully labeled with a country location and century, allowing even those unfamiliar with Islamic art to note differences by region and time period. The narration begins with a brief introduction to Islam, offering theories on why Muhammad distrusted the arts of figurative sculpture and painting. The film discusses secular and religious themes, figures and styles characterizing art and architecture in Islamic countries, and helpfully points out that the idea of "Islamic art" is as hard to define as is the idea of Christian art. A concise, useful introduction that successfully conveys the breadth and variation of art in the Islamic world. [AGF] Produced by Walter Denny and Carel Bertram for Middle East Institute.

AYASOPHIA:
1991 , 26 min, 2", Color, M,H,U.
A visit to Ayasofia includes a historical overview of this great monument completed in 537 for the Emperor Justinian as a church, and converted to a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Explores the treasures and tales of the spectacular building in Istanbul, now a museum whose gardens house the largest Ottoman royal tombs, containing the bodies of a number of sultans and princes. Directed by Suha Arin for MTV-Istanbul.

BAB EL-OUED CITY :
1994, 93 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.




BATTLE OF ALGIERS:
1966, 125 min., 2", B/W, French & Arabic w/English subtitles, H,U,G.
This vivid reenactment of the Algerian struggle for independence from France, 1954-1962, is presented in documentary style from the point of view of the FLN fighters. It graphically presents the contrast both architecturally and culturally between the medina, the old city, and the European metropolis, with the FLN employing elements of both cultures in their struggle against the French army. The brutalization of the French recruits and the descent of all combatants into terrorism make this film a classic of cinema verité. Battle of Algiers was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film and received 11 international awards. [Images and Echoes] Directed by Gillo Pontecorvo.

BEING MUSLIM IN INDIA:
1984, 40 min., 2", Color.
Some Hindi w/English subtitles H,U,G
Outstanding study of a polygamous Muslim family in Lucknow. Qasim, a devout Sunni Muslim, and his family -- three wives and children -- all discuss the importance of their faith and the centrality of the Qu'ran. The first wife has observed seclusion since she was a small child, but the other two wives give frank descriptions of their roles, their relationships towards Qasim, each other and their children. Narrator makes clear that having more than one wife is an uncommon practice in Islam, but has chosen the family because of the many perspectives of its members. Through interviews with this family and with other residents, the film gently demystifies the grand symbols of Islam: rows of men in prayer, minarets and mosques, and the Qu'ran. [EFB] South Asian Center, University of Wisconsin

BEIRUT TO BOSNIA: MUSLIMS AND THE WEST:
Part I: The Martyr's Smile
Part II: The Road to Palestine
Part III: To the ends of the Earth
2000, 52 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.


BEN BARKA: THE MOROCCAN EQUATION:
A description of this film is not yet available.
BETHLEHEM DIARY:
A description of this film is not yet available.

BETWEEN THE LINES:
1996, 30 min, 2", Color, M,H,U.
As the film's narrator explains, it tries to present "a more objective delineation" of Iran and Iranians, a worthy subject considering the typical American media images of the country in the nearly two decades following the revolution. The presentation is a bit stilted and amateurish, but the topic is important and the production an earnest one. This video addresses in particular the film Not Without My Daughter (1990), a TV movie based on the true story of a American woman who returns with her Iranian husband to post-revolutionary Iran, and is prevented by Islamic laws from leaving the country with her daughter. Includes comments by scholars, writers, and women married to Iranian men who have chosen to live in Iran, though no Iranians are interviewed. A platform for discussion on how media -- especially non "news" programs like movies -- shape our perception of other cultures and peoples. [AGF] Provided by the Iranian Mission to the UN (no director listed).


THE BOMBING
A description of this film is not yet available.

BOOK OF FESTIVITIES [SURNAMEH OF MURAD III]:
1960, 21 min., 2", 3/4", Color, H,U.
This short film looks at the album of miniatures produced to record the 40-day celebration organized in Istanbul by Sultan Murad III in 1582. This type of illuminated documentation continued the tradition of earlier shahnamehs (books of kings) produced in Iran, which became national epics. This particular book was commissioned by Murad III to display his wealth to the world, but also reveals a wealth of human detail: the sultan's son coming forward to kiss his hand, displays of craft by guildsmen, mock battles on horseback, wrestling, and the lighting of fireworks on the last day. The narration is simple, composed mainly of basic references to what is pictured without giving much historical, political or cultural context. This film could be well-used with a directed discussion of the period. [AGF] Directed and produced by Ipsiroglu.

BOUJAD: A NEST IN THE HEAT:
1994, 90 mins., 2", Color, U,G.
A close and at times anguishing look at issues of separation, independence and return, this film follows the director home to his family's village in Morocco, as he prepares to tell them that he won't be returning again. The director's exploration of family relationships is self-conscious and at times painfully honest, including the audience in the most private moments with his family. The film offers an intimate look at domestic spaces and religious rituals (included is a lengthy prayer sequence during a graveside visit to grandparents) and illustrates well the complexity of inter-family relationships, especially when compounded by one member's break with family traditions and expectations. [AGF] Directed by Hakim A. Belabbes.

BREAD AND CHOCOLATE:
1974, 109 min., Color, Italian dialogue w/English subtitles.
A description of this film is not yet available

119 BULLETS + THREE:
1995, 60 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
Named for the number of bullets fired by Baruch Goldstein at the Cave of Patriarchs massacre and the number fired by Yigal Amir when he assassinated Yitzak Rabin, this video presents an intimate look at religious and ideological extremism in Israel, which played a major role in both events. Beginning in Hebron with the 1994 massacre by Goldstein, the filmmakers spend 18 months visiting and interviewing extremist West Bank settlers who seem prepared to oppose the peace process at any cost. Examines political and ideological issues at the heart of Israel=s future. Directed by Yeud Levanon & Amit Goren.

B UT YOU SPEAK SUCH GOOD ENGLISH
A description of this film is not yet available.

BYE BYE:
1996, 107 min., 2", Color, French w/English subtitles.
A description of this film is not yet available.



CAMERA d'ARABE - The Young Arab Cinema:
1987, 60 min., 2", Color, B/W, In English w/some subtitled Arabic, U,G.
Camera d'Arabe relates the story of auteur Arab cinema existence, from the 1950s through the early 1980s. Using a series of interviews with major filmmakers (including Egyptian director Youssef Chahine), lengthy film clips, and informative narration, Boughedir has created a superb introduction to new Arab cinema. He traces its genesis from liberation themes linked with independence movements of the 1950s and early 1960s, through the flowering of a variety of topics including women's position in society, injustice and occupation; and finally self-examination and despair prompted by the post-1967 situation in the Arab world. He stresses the primary nature of politics in the Arab filmmaker's conscience, and touches on crucial economic dimensions of filmmaking, such as the difficulty of establishing a distribution network to compete with readily available foreign films. [AGF] Directed by Farid Boughedir.

CANTICLES OF THE STONE:
1990, 110 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.

CELEBRATING THE PROPHET IN THE REMEMBRANCE OF GOD: SUFI DHIKR IN EGYPT:
1997, 39 min., 2", Color, U,G.
This video is useful for instructors wishing to give students some sense of the rituals of dhikr C the elaborate and prayerful recitation of God's names by Sufi Muslims C as performed in different settings with different participants in Egypt. It focuses specifically on two religious singers of contrasting types. The commentary stresses varying interpretations of the place of dhikr and of Sufism in Islamic practice, addressing disputes with some ulema, Islamic reformists, and radicals. The accompanying transcription is very useful, though the video's commentary is delivered in a monotone, and the color and photography are often poor. "Celebrating the Prophet" is probably best used in discussion groups to illustrate particular points. See I am a Sufi, I am a Muslim for dhikr as performed in Pakistan, Turkey, India, and Macedonia. [MG] Directed by Valerie J. Hoffman.



CHANGING LIVES: WOMEN OF THE MIDDLE EAST:
1993, 15 min., 2", Color, M,H,U.
Directed by Colleen Caden, an MA alumna in the Joint Program in Near Eastern Studies and Journalism, this polished, professional short film investigates the diversity of roles C traditional and nontraditional C that women choose in contemporary Middle Eastern society, and explores the rewards and repercussions of these choices. She interviews three women: a young, university-educated Muslim Irani continuing her studies at NYU; a former prima ballerina from Egypt teaching at NYU (also a Muslim); and an older Egyptian, Christian woman whose economic status goes undiscussed. The women ponder lifestyle choices and how their decisions were shaped by their views and experiences of women's roles in society, and by paternal relationships. [CNES] Directed by Colleen Caden. Produced by NYU's Journalism Dept.


CHARULATA: THE LONELY WIFE:
1964, 117 min., 2", B&W, Bengali w/English subtitles.
A description of this film is not yet available.

CHATILA:
2001, 44 min.
A description of this film is not available.

CHILDREN OF HEAVEN:
83 min.
A description of this film is not available.

CHILDREN OF SHATILA:
1998, 50 min.
A description of this film is not available.

CHRONICLES OF THE YEARS OF EMBER:
1997, 178 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.

CINEMA FOUAD:
30 min.
A description of this film is not yet available.

CIRCLE WITHIN THE SQUARE:
52 min.
A description of this film is not available.

THE CITIES OF ISLAM: CAIRO:
1987, 25 min., 2", Color, H,U.
This slightly faded rendering of Cairo gives a brief sense of the city's history from its medieval beginnings under the Fatimids and as a major stop along trade routes from Arabia to Africa. Also traces its rich cultural and religious heritage. The context is mostly architectural and artistic, rather than political or historical, describing the walled city under Saladin, the mausoleums and monuments of the Mamluks, and Muhamad Ali's mosque built while Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire. Contains footage of streets and souks, focusing on artisans of "traditional" trades such as metalwork, inlay, and leather. Common pitfalls are scenes of camels in the desert as a representation of Cairo and Arabs, who are at one point called a "desert people." At times the film implies (erroneously) that little has changed since the Middle Ages. [AGF] Directed by John Dooley for Polonius Production.


THE CITIES OF ISLAM: FEZ:
1987, 24 min., 2", Color, H,U.
This film goes further than its counterpart on Cairo in suggesting that Islamic cities are stuck in the Middle Ages, explaining that Fez houses a "medieval society living almost unchanged" since its founding in 808 AD. Though the film concentrates on Fez as a center of learning during the Middle Ages and emphasizes the exchange of ideas through traveling scholars, craftsmen, religious dignitaries and merchants; neither that exchange nor 43 years of French rule keep Fez from being described as a "living museum." Despite this major fault, the film is useful for its excellent footage of the architecture of the city (with special focus on the city's oldest mosque and school, founded by two women) and the detailed working of metal, leather and textiles. Also treats fairly accurately the importance of the family unit and women's roles. [AGF] Directed by John Dooley for Polonius Production.

THE CITIES OF ISLAM: ISTANBUL:
1988, 28 min., 2", Color, H,U.
The most comprehensive of the series of three, this film gives a useful historic overview for beginning students, describing the city's successive eras as Byzantium, Constantinople and finally Istanbul, and visiting monuments from each period. Includes visits to the Topkapi palace, Aya Sofia, Blue Mosque and Mosque of Suleiman with (at times overgeneralized) discussions of the architecture of mosques. Includes engaging street scenes illustrating the vitality of the city: a tea vendor serving a customer from his portable urn, men gathered in a shop to smoke hookahs, and wrestlers competing on Prince's Islands. Each of these three films would profit from pairing with The Islamic City. [AGF] Directed by John Dooley for Polonius Production.

CITIES OF SALT:
1992, 38 min., 2", Color, Arabic w/English subtitles and narration, H,U,G.
This fascinating profile of novelist Abd el-Rahman Munif and his series of five books, beginning with Cities of Salt, includes interviews with Munif, dramatizations and readings of his novels, and pre- and post-oil footage and photographs. Cities of Salt is the story of the destruction of a desert community by American oil men; successive books in the series follow the development of the surreal society left in its place. Munif's sharp criticism (he calls the oil industry "alien...unconnected to what surrounds it") misses neither the British who handed out oil concessions, the Americans who took them, nor the shortsighted Saudi rulers who allowed it all to happen. His critique provides a sharp contrast to the myth that oil has meant wealth and happiness for all Saudi Arabians. (Showing this title alongside ARAMCO AT FIFTY provides an opportunity for critical analysis for younger students.) Note: There is a two-minute space on the tape between parts I and II. [AGF] Directed by Christopher Spencer & Patrick Matthews. Produced by Tariq Ali.

CITIZEN BISHARA:
A description of this film is not available.

CLOSE, CLOSED, CLOSURE:
2002, 52 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.


A COMMON GROUND...WHERE THREE RELIGIONS COME TOGETHER:
1987, 21 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
Using the holy city of Jerusalem as a stage, this presentation explores some of the commonalties and differences of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, three great religions that have their roots in Southwest Asia. Examining the sacred texts of each, the film compares without judgment central issues such as divine revelation, transcendence, profession of faith, the relationship of man to God, the significance of laws and teachings, and beliefs about the reign of God and final judgment. The film incorporates useful historical maps, religious architecture, and many scenes from the city of Jerusalem. This is a fair comparison of beliefs and practices that does not concentrate so much on the history of contact between the religions as on their individual structures and practices. [AGF] Produced by David Nalle for the Islamic Affairs Program of the Middle East Institute.

THE CONQUEST OF SPAIN: History's Turning Point series:
1995, 30 min., 2", Color, M,H.
Focuses on the decisions made by Tariq Ibn Ziyad and his Berber warriors, this program explores the Moors' conquest of Spain and traces the spread of Arab influence throughout the Iberian peninsula. While it gives a sense of the importance of the Iberian peninsula in the spread of Islam and Islamic culture, much of the video focuses primarily on battles. It tends to portray Visigoths (who controlled the region before 711), Arabs and Berbers as clever but ruthless warriors taking over a land of peaceful Christians (who are constantly shown praying and chanting in church!). Though it mentions that Muslims ruled parts of Spain for 700 years, there is little information regarding how they ruled and how their culture left a lasting imprint on Europe. A better choice is Spain, The Moorish Influence. [CNES] Directed by Greg Lanning. Produced by Transatlantic.

THE COW (Gav):
1969, 79 min., 2", B&W, Persian w/English subtitles, U,G.
This classic Iranian film revolves around the death of Hasan's cow C his identity, and symbol of wealth and status in the small village. Unable to accept the death of his cow, Hasan withdraws into a state of madness, becoming himself a cow. Within this deceptively simple plot lies rich insight into the web of village values and interrelationships. The struggle to maintain sanity and dignity in the face of subsistence poverty and constant threat from outside raiders is completely apolitical. Though the sound track is erratic and subtitles difficult to read, this film elicits strong emotional involvement with its complex portrait of a man who has lost his future. Winner of the International Film Critics Prize at the 1971 Venice Film Festival. [Images and Echoes] Directed by Darius Mehrjui.

CRUSADES
1995, 50 min. each (4 tapes), 2", Color, M,H,U.
Examines the reasons for the Crusades, the creation of a mythology of knights and chivalry and the legacy of distrust between East and West. Though some viewers may be offended by the occasional flippant remark (the narrator is a member of the Monty Python Flying Circus team), the videos are more successful in portraying multiple perspectives on the Crusades than the average U.S. textbook. In Part III, focusing on the Second Crusade, a "newscast from the past" includes interviews with participants in events in various parts of the world. Fabricated historical advertisements for 1144 A.D. capture the viewer's attention, particularly promotion of pepper, a new spice from the West. The series does present as contemporaneous events that may be 40 years apart, but it is possible to make a game of identifying the variance. (Younger students could write their own script for interviews across a particular time period.) [EDB] Directed by Alan Ereira &David Wallace for the BBC.

THE CYCLIST:
1989, 75 min., 2", Color.
Farsi w/ English subtitles A description of this film is not yet available.

DANCES OF GOD:
ca. 1979, 12 min., 2" Color M,H,U,G.
Winning an award for the best short documentary film in Europe in 1981, Dances of God captures the ecstasy of the whirling dervish ritual. Filmed on location in Konya (Turkey), the film depicts one of the main groups of whirling dervishes in the country. The first two minutes have several glitches, but overall, they do not detract from viewer involvement. Note: Since the film has no narration, it can be prefaced with discussion of the history and symbolism of the ritual, the importance of the garments worn, etc. [CNES] Directed by Marc Mopti.

THE DEAD WEIGHT OF A QUARREL HANGS:
1991, 19 min., 2". Color.
A description of this film is not available.

THE DISPUTATION: A THEOLOGICAL DEBATE BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND JEWS:
1993, 65 mins, 2" Color, U,G.
Public theological debates between Christians and Jews were a frequent feature of the Middle Ages. This program recreates one of the most famous, the Barcelona Disputation of 1263 between Moses Nahmanides and the apostate Pablo Christiani. Written by Haim Maccoby, the film is well-researched and avoids melodrama. The disputation scenes are interspersed with conversations between key players that provide historical context. [CEH] Produced by Films for the Humanities.



A DOOR TO THE SKY [Bab Al-Sama' Maftuh]:
1989, 107 min., 2" Color.
Arabic w/English subtitles U,G
In this cinematographically breathtaking film, Nadia returns from Paris, where she is a student, to her family home in Fez, where her father is dying. In the period following her father's death, she is disturbed by visions that are interpreted as a call to Islam. She decides to remain in Morocco and turn the family home into a shelter for abused women. Women seek refuge there, and when it seems that they will establish a strong and self-sufficient unit, Nadia runs off with a young man whom she had been called to heal. Many Arab women are writing about the importance of sisterhood but few have written about the establishment of an all-women's community founded on Islamic principles (although the director seems to insist that a feminist utopia within an Islamic context must ultimately eschew segregation). This film will be of particular interest as one example of Islamic feminism. [MC] Directed by Farida Ben Lyazid.

A DREAM OF JUSTICE AND PEACE WITH HANAN ASHRAWI:
1995, 52 min. 2" Color H,U,G.
Framed by the story of Hanan Ashrawi, a former spokesperson for the PLO and key delegate on the 1991 Madrid negotiating team, this is a fascinating Palestinian narrative of contemporary "peace issues" that began decades ago. With archival footage and interviews with major Palestinian and some Israeli political figures, this video offers a history of Palestinians' efforts -- the sidewalk news conferences in Madrid, the "Palestinian Speech" -- to be recognized as a people with legitimate rights and interests. This discussion is enriched throughout by early footage of and interviews with Ashrawi from her student days at the American University of Beirut; her term as dean of faculty at Birzeit University; and in her current role as founder of the watchdog group, the Independent Commission for Citizens' Rights. A way to understand a part of Palestinian history through the work of one of its major women leaders. [AGF] Directed by Christopher Swann. Produced by Daoud Kuttab and Ray Bruce.

DREAMING A NATION: THE KURDS Nationalism: Blood and Belonging series:
1994, 50 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
The researcher for this film is Sheri Laizer, author of Into Kurdistan: Frontiers Under Fire (Zed Books, 1991), which is part travelogue and part political commentary. The film has mainly been shot in the Iraqi and Turkish parts of Kurdistan and contains interviews with politicians as well as lay Kurds from parts of Iraqi, Turkish and Iranian Kurdistan. The film addresses how Kurds have managed to survive for more than four millennia, especially during nationalist clashes in recent decades (with Turkey and Iraq). Includes footage of the fledgling democracy in the de facto Kurdish state in northern Iraq and a few graphic scenes of the 1988 gas massacre in the Kurdish town of Halabja. There is rare footage of the training grounds for female fighters of the Kurdish Workers Party, which seeks a "socialist, feminist and secular Kurdistan." [AF] Produced by Films for the Humanities.


DREAMING A NATION: THE KURDS


THE DUPES:
1972, 107 min., 2", B/W, Arabic w/English subtitles, U,G.
This stark, stately black and white film traces the destinies of three different men brought together by their dispossession, their despair, and their hope for a better future. The time is the 1950's, the place, Iraq, and the protagonists, Palestinian refugees who are trying to make their way across the border to Kuwait, the "promised land," concealed in the steel tank of a truck. Each one believes he can make a new life for himself; but as the films title suggests, their flight is no solution. One of the first Arab films to address the Palestinian question, the story is based on the 1962 novella, Men in the Sun , by the Palestinian writer, artist and resistance leader Ghassan Kanafani. Directed by Tewfik Saleh. Video is not catalogued and not available in collection.

THE DYNASTY: THE NEHRU-GANDHI STORY, Part I + II:
1998, 90 min. each, 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.


EGYPT: THE HABIT OF CIVILIZATION: The Legacy Series:
1991, 57 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
Part of a six-part PBS series, this installment explores the civilization of Pharaonic Egypt and its influence on later cultures. The early section examines its monuments (primarily pyramids), hieroglyphic writings, and rituals and beliefs centering around divine kingship and the realm of the dead. When he's not indulging in overly dramatic displays (a midnight excursion inside a pyramid or the scaling of same), writer/director Michael Wood gives a fairly thorough history of this civilization that lasted from 3100 B.C. until Alexander invaded Lower Egypt in 332 BC He provides a detailed account of the Coptic Christian presence and Christian influences over time. Islam is unfortunately introduced with the image of men on camels in a hazy desert. Despite the inaccuracy of some images and Michael Wood taking on the role of "discoverer," this film gives a detailed explanation of Pharaonic history and its continuing relationship with 20th century civilization. [AGF] Produced and directed by Michael Wood for PBS.


EMBROIDERED CANTICLES [Cantiques Brodes] Morocco, Body and Soul series
1989, 26 min., 2", Color, Some Arabic, Hebrew &French w/subtitles, H,U,G.
This concert film features Moroccan musical masters Rabbi Haim Louk and Abd el-Sadek Chekara performing mystical songs from the matrouz tradition. With its Andalusian roots, matrouz is a shared Muslim-Jewish musical form incorporating Arabic and Hebrew poetry, and reflecting the centuries-old link between Jewish and Muslim societies in North Africa. Includes some discussion of the similarities of the poetical texts, and an intimate feel for the musical and personal relationship between these two performers. [AGF] Directed by Izza Genini.

500 DUNAM ON THE MOON:
2002, 47 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.

THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM (World of Islam series):
1988, 30 min., 2", Color, M,H,U.
Focusing primarily on the five pillars, this film provides a useful overview of the practice, history and geographical diversity of this religion with more than 1 billion adherents. The film's strength lies in its details: a father teaching his sons the stages and positions of prayer in Abu Dhabi, a woman praying by herself in the desert, and men performing ablutions before prayer at a mosque in Lahore -- all interspersed with passages from and discussion of the Qur'an. Its weaknesses can be addressed during post-film discussions: an over reliance on footage from Saudi Arabia, which could lead students to think most Muslims live there and are Arabs. (This is compounded by the narrator's failure to mention that the majority of Muslims are not Arab.) There are also many scenes in the desert and few in urban centers, another misrepresentation. Also, though scenes from the hajj are sufficient, more comprehensive explanations of the pilgrimage are available in Mecca, The Forbidden City and Journey of a Lifetime. [AGF] Directed by Michele Arnaud.

FOR THOSE WHO SAIL TO HEAVEN:
1990, 48 min., 2", Color, Arabic w/English subtitles, H,U,G.
The video leads us through the celebrations of the moulid, or birth feast, of Sidi Abu'l Hajjaj, whom legend says came from Iraq in the 12th century, usurped power from the matriarch of Luxor, and wove a thread around the town to achieve dominion. The moulid occurs at the temple of Luxor, where the divine boats of the gods once sailed in the ancient Egyptian feast of Opet. The film is given depth by constant comparison with the early Egyptian feast, and includes 1925 footage of the moulid. The film progresses between the current and ancient Egyptian practices, such as the use of mast poles, model boats, ritual combat, and the procession of the boats. We view the arrival of crowds from the countryside, chanting in the tomb, traditional stick-dancing, equestrian games, and the pulling of sacred boats around town on the main day of the moulid. Wickett has carefully portrayed the intertwining of ancient and modern so important in Egyptian life, but often missing in Western portrayal of Egypt. [MM] Produced by Elizabeth Wickett, Folklore Dept. of University of Pennsylvania.


FORCES OF CHANGE: WOMEN ARTISTS OF THE ARAB WORLD:
1994, 24 min., 2", Color, Arabic w/English subtitles, H,U,G.
Produced in conjunction with a traveling exhibit by Arab women artists, this film interviews 17 participants and shows examples of their work. The artists discuss their work in the context of feminist expression, and address issues such as traditions in their societies, ecology, Islam and human rights. Narrated by Casey Kasem. Directed by Zuheir al-Fiqih for International Council for Women in the Arts.

FOUR WOMEN IN EGYPT:
1997, 90 min., 2", Color, French and Arabic w/English subtitles.
A description of this film is not yet available.

FRONTIERS OF DREAMS AND FEARS:
A description of the film is not available.

GHAZEIA:
1998, 50 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.

THE GIFT OF ISLAM:
1970, 28 min., 2", Color, H,U.
This film introduces the great cultural achievements of the Islamic World to the West in the fields of architecture, engineering, navigation, geography, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, horticulture, crafts, metallurgy, calligraphy, literature, music, and philosophy. High points of extant Islamic architecture - the Ka'aba, the Prophet's Mosque at Medina, Dome of the Rock - exemplify the flow of architectural style. Stressing the concept that "each civilization is nourished by the other," this film is a recommended preface to studies in Islamic civilization. [Images and Echoes] Produced by Graham Associates for Exxon.

THE GODS OF OUR FATHERS (The Human Race series):
1994, 51 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
This engaging video looks back in history for alternatives to patriarchy, hierarchy and militarization -- especially as practiced in the United States -- and finds them in ancient Egypt. In the first 34-minute section, narrator Gwynne Dyer examines customs and beliefs in Egyptian societies that included goddesses in religious ideologies and established a king's legitimacy as stemming from his queen. A brief treatment of veiling is also included in its historical context as a non-religious statement in Mesopotamia, medieval Europe and classical Greece and Rome. The shorter second section traces the demise of the matriarchal society, and ensuing importance of the control of women. Explained clearly and with the help of several young Egyptian scholars, this video prods us to reexamine assumptions about modern societies. [AGF] Directed by Anne Henderson. Written by Gwynne Dyer.

GOLAN HEIGHTS: FACT AND FICTION:
1993, 51 min., 2", Color, U,G.
Filmed around the time of the Madrid peace talks, this amateurish video aimed specifically at an American audience purports to separate the ill-informed Western understanding of the history of the Golan Heights from the "facts" of its history. While the film does contain rarely examined photos of towns destroyed by the Israelis after the 1967 war, it mixes random historical information about the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict with wild assertions about Zionists (quoting extremists like Meir Kahane and claiming that Israel intends to regain Biblical lands including large sections of Jordan). The film is less about the Golan than an indictment of Zionism. A poorly made film from many perspectives. Use sparingly and with directed discussion. [AGF] Produced by American Jewish Alternatives to Zionism.


GOSPEL TRUTH (Testament: The Bible and History):
1988, 52 min., 2", Color, U,G.
This program shows the historical remains of the time and place, perhaps of the life, of Jesus and describes how the Christian Bible came into being. The program begins in Jerusalem to find the sources of early Christian literature and traces the evidence for the dating and attribution of the four Gospels and of other contemporary writings like the Gospel of Thomas. The focus shifts to Rome, to the persecutions begun by Nero that led to martyrdoms throughout the Roman world, and closes with the compilation of the Bible's books made by Iranaeus, who rendered Christianity and its writings accessible to the Empire and, eventually, its Emperor. Films for the Humanities.

GRASS : A NATION'S BATTLE FOR LIFE:
1927, 1992, 70 min., 2", B&W, H,U,G.
This classic documentary follows the migration of the Bakhtiari tribe of Persia (now Iran) across the Zagros mountains in search of green pastures for their sheep and goats. Twice a year more than 50,000 people and half a million animals surmounted seemingly impossible obstacles, including torrential rivers and 15,000 foot high mountains. Includes early sequences of a caravan and desert patrol in Anatolia. This restored and full-length version also has a new Iranian score. [CNES] Directed by Merian Cooper, Ernest Schoedsack, & Marguerite Harrison for Paramount. Restored by Milestone Film &Video.


GULF WAR: OPERATION DESERT STORM, THE COMPLETE STORY:
1991, 120 min., 2", Color, H,U.
This video serves as a record of the episode in the Persian Gulf. It examines the context in which the conflict occurred, the development of "Desert Shield", and the escalation towards a full-scale military war. With the lines of battle drawn, the two protagonists emerged as Norman Schwarzkopf and Saddam Hussein. A profile of each is included in the program, helping to bring into focus the pressures and dilemmas each faced. Produced by Independent Television News.




HALFMOON:
1995, 90 min., 2", Color, English/Arabic w/English subtitles.
A description of this film is not yet available.

HAMSIN (DESERT WIND):
1983, 90 min., 2", Color, Hebrew & Arabic w/English subtitles, U,G.
In this heavy-handed feature, Gedalia, an Israeli farmer living in Galilee, works alongside Haled, an Arab laborer he has employed and who shares his hopes for building a cattle ranch. A kind of friendship develops, so that Haled trusts Gedalia's motives when, amid reports of government plans to confiscate Arab land, he offers to purchase the farm of his Arab neighbor as protection. Haled continues to work for Gedalia, even after other Arab workers abandon the farmer and warn Haled of his "real" motives. As tensions rise over the confiscations, Haled finds himself caught between his friends and his belief in Gedalia, who tries to protect Haled from harassment by neighboring Israeli farmers. At the same time, Haled is drawn into an affair with Gedalia's visiting sister, and as one might predict, a violent outcome looms. [AGF] Directed by Daniel Wachsmann.

HANAN ASHRAWI: A WOMAN OF HER TIME
1995, 50 min., 2", Color.
This film concentrates on Ashrawi's significant role as a spokesperson of PLO in inaugurating the peace process in the Middle East. This documentary protrays Ashrawi's life and activities in the aftermath of the Oslo Peace Accords and examines the impact of the peace process on the daily lives of the Palestinians. Having refused to hold a formal position in the Palestinian government, Ashrawi continues her activism by working with the Independent Commission for Citizen's Rights, an organization she founded. Drawing on the interviews with Hanan Ashrawi, archival footage and scenes from the streets of Jerusalem, this film depicts the story of an important woman who is one of the key players in the struggle for peace and justice. Produced by Marty Antoinette Shoe for Manhattan Cable TV..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. MOGRABI:
1999, 77 min., 2", Color.

THE HAREM PROJECT: AN ISLAMIC ARTS EXPERIENCE:
1993, 120 min., 2", Color, U,G.
An interview with Avis Allman, visual artist and former Kevorkian Center Visiting Scholar, on her experiences as an artist working at the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul. Ms. Allman is a specialist in the creation of modern ceramic tiles and carpets inspired by the Ottoman tradition.
HIDDEN WARS OF DESERT STORM:
2000, 64 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.




THE HORSE:
1983, 116 min., 2", Color, Turkish w/English subtitles, H,U,G.
Set in modern Turkey, The Horse is a beautiful and moving portrayal of a father and son coming to grips with external hardships and their own human frailties as they attempt to earn enough money to send the boy to school. Ozgenturk's goals for the film were simple: "I wanted to interweave problems of everyday life so closely into the story of this film that they seem to be no longer common at all." The director's portrayal of the characters' problems against the realistic background of poverty and desperation proved so unsettling that the Turkish government sent him to prison for making The Horse. Directed by Ali Ozgenturk.

HOSTAGE OF TIME:
1994, 50 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.

HUMAN BEING:
1994, 27 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.

HUMAN WEAPON:
2002, 55 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.

I AM A SUFI, I AM A MUSLIM:
1994, 52 min., 2", Color, some Arabic w/English subtitles, M,H,U,G.
This Belgian production is a solid introduction of Sufism, a branch of Islam that is less known in the West than the more mainstream Sunni and Shi-i practices. Focuses primarily on Sufism as it is practiced in parts of Pakistan and Macedonia, but also visits India and Turkey (Rumi is not discussed). Abundant footage of zikr traditions, with cogent explanation of saint worship, importance of qawwali music, and attainment of the ecstatic state. Gives context to various orders and traditions, discussing for instance how Sufis' roles in Ottoman military processions have influenced the kinds of musical rhythms one hears in Macedonian zikrs. Includes performance by famed Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Warning: Includes graphic scenes of tongue, cheek, and body piercing during the ecstatic state that may be unsuitable for younger students. [AGF] Directed by Dirk Dumon.

I MISS THE SUN:
1984, 20 min., 2", Colorm M,H,U.
In this tale of a modern day exodus, Mary Halawani profiles her grandmother, who left Egypt in the wake of rising nationalism and anti-Zionism in 1962. She was the last one in her family to leave Egypt and join her children, who had already moved to America. Using the Passover seder as the backdrop, Halawani examines the matriarch of a close Middle Eastern family, and the contrasts between the values and textures of life there and in America. Her grandmother misses the warmth and closeness of families in the society she left behind, as this is vividly portrayed in the care she lavishes on the elaborate and bountiful meal that brings her children and their families to her home each year. [AGF] Directed by Mary Halawani.

I SHALL SALUTE THE SUN ONCE AGAIN:
1998, 55 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.

I WANT A SOLUTION:
1975, 109 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.



INTERVIEW WITH HASHEMI RAFSANJANI (ON CBS & C-SPAN):
1997, 120 min., 2", Color, M,H,U,G.
This fascinating interview stems from Mike Wallace's decision to sit down with Iranian president Hashemi Rafsanjani in March 1997, two months before the national elections in Iran. Tape includes the 13-minute segment that aired on 60 Minutes; followed by the 50-minute (full-length, though edited) interview that aired on C-SPAN; and ends with the live, call-in Q&A session with Mike Wallace that immediately followed the C-SPAN broadcast. The interview ranges from standard political topics C how the two governments view each other, the possibilities for resuming normal relations, the assassination of Iranian nationals in Europe, accusations of terrorism C to lesser-known issues, such as the state of Iranian economy, the high numbers of women in the workplace, the practice of 'temporary marriage', in the Islamic Republic, and the banning of satellite TV. Aside from the interview itself, the contrast between the 60 Minutes version and the full-length, C-SPAN version gives students plenty to discuss on how the news is constructed. Particularly interesting is the post-commentary, much of it from Iranian-Americans. [AGF] Produced by C-SPAN and CBS.


INTEZAAR (Waiting):
1995, 26 min., 2", Color, Arabic w/English subtitles, H,U,G.
Stemming from the director's personal experience of growing up in a Gazan refugee camp, the film offers a critical and provocative scrutiny of these camps, which were established by the UN in 1948 as temporary housing. Interviewing family and friends, Masharawi explores the despair of this semi-permanent condition of existence. Directed by Rashid Masharawi.

INTRODUCTION TO THE ARAB WORLD:
*Study Guide available with video.
1988, 48 min., 2", Color, M,H,U.
This three-part survey of the Arab world - "Overview," "Islam," and "Arab Society Today" - combines slides and film clips to introduce the peoples and places of the region and to address its most important concerns. The first 15-minute segment details the full panorama of ethnic diversity: non-Arabs in the Middle East, Arabs who are not Muslims, and non-Arab Muslims. Hard-to-read maps are the only drawback of this section. "Islam" is set in a global context with lucid explanations of the basic tenets, and recognition of the Judaeo-Christian continuum. The last segment offers a lively survey of the contemporary and older Arab world, with emphasis on the accelerating tempo of today's transformations of cities, agriculture, education, health care, and communication. The review of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and European colonization is incisive and unbiased. (The guidebook is an excellent supplementary resource, including a world history timeline, brief histories of major Near Eastern dynasties, maps, and classroom exercises.) [EFB] Directed by Leslie Schmida Nucho for AMIDEAST.

INTRODUCTION TO THE END OF AN ARGUMENT (INTIFADA): SPEAKING FOR ONESELF...SPEAKING FOR OTHERS:
1990, 45 min., 2", Color, U,G.
Combining "found artifacts" from Europe, the United States and Israel -- news sound bites, movie clips, cartoons, pop songs and documentary footage shot in the West Bank and Gaza Strip -- End of An Argument critiques Western-based representations of Arab culture. The video artists cleverly mimic the Western tableau in a mix of fragmented stereotypes that illustrate how we impose our own narratives on the Middle East in fiction and nonfiction alike. Underlines well how this stream of simplistic materials merges into a blurry but insidious ethnocentric consensus that Arabs are somehow less worthy and civilized than "us," whomever "us" may be. [AGF] Directed by Elia Sulieman and Jayce Salloum.

IRAN: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE:
1992, 32 min., 2", Color, M,H.
This promotional video views like a travel guide with historical background. Describes geographic features, crops, industries, education, architecture, scientific achievements, and gives a generic history of rule beginning with the Aryans. Most useful sections feature musical performances, instrumental and the singing of poetry. [AGF] Produced by the Permanent Mission of Iran to the United Nations.


IRANIAN JOURNEY:
2000, 60 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.

IRAQ: THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION (The Legacy Series):
1991, 57 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
In another installment of the six-part PBS Legacy series, Michael Wood visits Iraq, and traces the region's early history as home to some of the oldest and most productive cities in the world. His itinerary includes Irbil, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world; Baghdad, which became one of the greatest cultural centers after its founding by Arab Muslims in the 8th century; Mosel, once a center for Eastern Christians, and many other sites. He skillfully traces and interweaves the histories of early inhabitants and of religious groups from the days of Ur to the present. Overall, a carefully detailed presentation with fewer intrusive acts than the installment on Egypt. [AGF] Produced and directed by Michael Wood for PBS.

IRAQ THEN AND NOW: THE UNHEARD VOICES OF IRAQI WOMEN:
2003, 48 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.


IRAQ: SANCTIONS AND SUFFERING:
A description of this film is not available.


THE ISFAHAN OF SHAH ABBAS:
1976, 30 min,. 2", Color, U,G.
This survey of the resplendent 17th century architectural achievements of Isfahan commissioned by Shah Abbas and his successors focuses on the monuments surrounding the Maydan-e-Shah: the mosque of Sheik Loftfallah, the Qaysariyyeh Bazaar, the Shah Mosque, and the Ali Qapu Palace, which together symbolize the political, economic and religious spheres of Safavid Persia. Prof. Oleg Grabar of the Fogg Art Museum provides scholarly narration for the viewing of monuments and close-ups of tilework, metalwork, paintings, ceramics, and weavings, and the calligraphy of Ali Reza Abbasi. He provides a useful historical, cultural and economic framework for this period tour of Isfahan. [Images & Echoes, Center Staff] Produced by the Fogg Fine Arts Museum.

ISLAM IN AMERICA:
1991, 52 min., 2", Color, M,H,U.
Conveniently divided into five parts for classroom use, this film provides an accurate, viewer-friendly survey of Islam, its beliefs, its cultural diversity and its role in today's America. It explores the five pillars in several American communities: "Faith" in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; "Prayer" in Los Angeles; "Charity" in Houston; "Fasting" in Quincy, Massachusetts; and "Pilgrimage" in suburban Boston and Perrysburg, Ohio. Interviews are well-chosen and representative, including women, men, and children as well as prison converts to Islam. Briefly touches on the differences between the universal religion of Islam and (American) Nation of Islam. [AGF] Directed by Lindsay Miller for The Christian Science Monitor.


THE ISLAMIC CITY (World of Islam series):
1988, 30 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
Astute and able narration marks this exploration of cities established under Islam and enduring as primarily Islamic centers. The film visits cities founded during several periods of Islamic rule by different ruling dynasties: Kairouan, Tunisia built as a frontier town during the first generation of Islam; Istanbul, Turkey established in the 15th century under the Ottomans; and so on, including cities in India, Morocco, Yemen, Egypt, Iran and Syria. Covers the variety of architectural styles and histories while explaining the unifying features of Islamic cities: the mosque and related buildings (especially schools), and a center's often inward-turning configurations. Brief and insightful treatment given to role of women in society as defined by the Qur'an and as adapted to 20th century lives. Only a few stumbles, such as labeling pre-Islamic Arabs "warrior tribes in search of wealth." [AGF]




JERUSALEM, THE HOLY CITY:
This four-part series examines the political history, Biblical history and architecture of the three great religions that regard Jerusalem as a holy city. A fair treatment of each with few biases, though it inexplicably chooses to accord Islam less coverage. Focuses more on political (i.e. who controlled the city) and Biblical history than does A Common Ground. [AGF] Directed by Alan Rosenthal for Boston University Productions.
Part I: A Collage of Sacred and Secular History:
1987, 51 min., 2", Color, H,U.
An overview of the three religions' history in and relationship with Jerusalem which highlights much of what is explained in detail in the other three films, this could be well-used as a more economic look at the three faiths in Jerusalem. Because it short shrifts Islam, however, this tape should be used with Jerusalem and the Muslim Tradition. [AGF]
Part II: Jerusalem and the Jewish Tradition:
1987, 44 min., 2", Color, H,U.
Focuses mainly on Biblical history with a large section on the archaeology of the City of David, and an overlong section on the water system. The problems of modern political history are elided (the film refers simply to "reclamation of Jerusalem for the Jewish people"). [AGF]
Part III: Jerusalem and the Christian Tradition:
1987, 44 min., 2", Color, H,U.
Again largely focuses on Biblical history. Exhaustive and well-filmed architectural details, visits to major churches of several branches, and a station-by-station walk along the Via Dolorosa. A very thorough overview of the branches of Christianity present in Jerusalem, the differences (even conflicts) among them, and their places and rights in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. [AGF}
Part IV: Jerusalem and the Muslim Tradition:
1987, 25 min., 2", Color, H,U.
An accurate, though comparatively short history of both Jerusalem's significance in Islam and in the history of Muslim Arab and Ottoman Turk empires. Thorough description and detailed footage of major monuments, mosques and the ruins of an early Arab palace complex built to serve pilgrims. Somewhat distracting is narrator (and BU Religion Professor) James Purvis's mispronunciation of Arabic words. [AGF]

JERUSALEM: OF HEAVEN AND EARTH "THE CENTER OF THE WORLD":
1983, 25 min., 2", Color, M,H.
A weak, unfocused work, this video borders on racism in its portrayal of Muslim Arabs in Jerusalem and does not add much otherwise to our general knowledge. While purporting to be about Jerusalem's central role in Judaism and Christianity, it begins with visits (led by a tourist guide) to several pilgrimage sites, then becomes a description of Israeli life in the city subtly (and unfavorably) compared with a very limited view of Arab life. No mention is made of the Jerusalem's central place in Islam. Use Jerusalem, The Holy City or A Common Ground instead. [AGF] Directed by John Jacob and Richard Tombelson for Nomad International Films.

JERUSALEM: OF HEAVEN AND EARTH "CITY OF 100 GATES":
1983, 25 min., 2", Color, M,H.
A film exploring daily life, festivals and rituals in Mea Shearim (100 gates), a Hasidic community outside the Old City in Jerusalem. Notable for footage inside a home and schools of the community, many of whose inhabitants will not allow themselves to be photographed. Human details (a young boy's ritual haircut, men shopping for holiday plants and building an outdoor shelter for Sukkot) add to understanding of Hasidic community and Judaism in general. Not much historical or political information and somewhat scattershot in delivery, but a useful cultural document. [AGF] Directed by Jacob & Tombelson for Nomad International Films.

THE JEWS OF DJERBA:
1977, 26 min., 2", Color, M,H,U.
T hough dated and very conventional in its approach, this video contains some beautiful, lengthy footage of religious and secular life on the Tunisian island of Djerba, where Jews first arrived in the 6th century B.C. The video features many scenes of daily life, especially the activities of women, who are shown making bread, weaving and embroidering, sweeping yards clean, and preparing meals. Also includes footage of men reading from the Torah and performing other religious activities inside one of the oldest synagogues on the island. Gives an informative, brief history of Jews' presence there and the structure of the community. Drawbacks are misinformed generalizations ("Jews have been on Djerba for 25 centuries...life has changed little in all that time.") and the fact that while people do speak in the film, their words are not translated and they are not interviewed, which tends to make them objects of the narrator's observations rather than participants in the film's images. Directed by Alain Cohen & Georges Nizan for Jewish Media Service.


JOURNAL FROM TEHRAN:
1987, 20 min., 2", Color, U,G.
This short documentary looks at Iran through the eyes of an exile returning after seven years abroad to a country under the enforcement of Islamic law and still fighting the Iran-Iraq war. Although leery of her reception, the filmmaker finds herself comfortable in familiar surroundings until she senses the constant threat of the Revolutionary Guards on the lookout for "improperly dressed women or punky males." The video is divided into four segments: introduction to Tehran; differences between northern and southern sections (Westernized vs. traditional cultural forces); celebration of Norooz (the Persian New Year); and religion and war. North Tehran, the former "European-style playground," is mainly deserted and South Tehran has become the bustling heart of the city, new seat of power and target of Iraqi missiles. Little details are telling: one scene shows women doffing chadors to reveal chic fashions at a mixed gathering to celebrate Norooz, the pre-Islamic spring festival of the new year which the government has declared un-Islamic. [EFB] Directed and produced by Perhseng Sadegh-Vaziri.


THE KEY:
1986, 76 min., 2", Color, Farsi dialogue w/English subtitles.
A description of this film is not yet available.

KHURASANI KURDISH DANCES:
n.d., 9 min., 2", Color, M,H,U.
The Khurasani Kurds are a community of nearly 1.7 million people deported from western Kurdistan to Khurasan by Persia during the 16th to 18th centuries. Their exclave now straddles the Iran-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan border regions, spilling into all three countries. Having been effectively cut off from other Kurds geographically and historically, they have retained costumes and customs long dead in other Kurdish communities. For instance, the costumes and dances show in this film have an Anatolian, even East European flavor. The dances have been choreographed and staged, though not as much as this film might lead a viewer to assume; Khurasani Kurdish dances are orderly affairs on their own. Costumes are authentic, despite their neat, elaborate layering and ornamentation. [MI] Produced by the Ministry of Arts and Culture of Iran.


KIBBUTZ 2000:
1985, 30 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.

THE KILLING OF SADAT: WHY WAS CAIRO CALM?:
1982, 60 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
This news program is a perceptive examination of Sadat's politics, economic policies and persona in Egypt up until his assassination in 1981, expertly compared with the hero-like portrayal of Sadat in the Western, specifically American press. Carefully traces the selective impact of Sadat's economic and political decisions, which created a wealthy entrepreneurial class replacing the old land-holding rich, but brought little change for the average person. Focuses also on reactions to alignment with the West and to peace accords with Israel; and on alienation of other Arab countries. Includes intelligent, informative interviews with Egyptian journalists, writers, former ministers and advisers to Sadat. Overall, an excellent introduction to conditions in Egypt in the '70s and '80s, with eerie echoes for today's political situation. [AGF] Directed by Ofra Bikel for WBGH TV (Boston).

THE KIRGHIZ OF AFGHANISTAN:
1975, 30 min., 2", Color, H,U.
Cut off from the majority of their kinsmen living in China and the Soviet Union by closed borders, a group of 3,000 Kirghiz nomads has lived since the 1950s in isolation deep in the Afghan Pamirs. This film explores the economic, political and social power of one of their khans, Rahman Qul, who exercises total control over his herders and their families through a system called amanat, or "entrusting." The film captures the bitter reflections of a young herder in the amanat system, and focuses on the particularly difficult lives of Kirghiz women living on "the roof of the world." Superb photography, extraordinary sensitivity, and remarkable direction have created a haunting film. N.B.: Although the film does not indicate it, the group fled Pakistan in 1978 as a result of the Communist revolution; their exodus is part of another film, Afghan Exodus, available for viewing at NYU's Avery Fisher Center. [RDM] Directed by Thomas Howe w/Nazif Shahrani, anthropologist and consultant.

KUWAIT: A DREAM SUSPENDED:
1990, 30 min., 2", Color, M,H.
This well-photographed promotional film is valuable for its film clips from the 1940's and 1950's. The idealistic portrayal of modern Kuwait with an active parliament and freedom of the press is rather cloying. The final aerial panoramas form a background for a legend describing the Iraqi invasion in August 1990, and the ensuing devastation. [UNC] Produced by Michael McKinnon for Kufic Films.

LA NOUBA DES FEMMES DU MONT-CHENOUA:
1977, 115 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.




LAWRENCE OF ARABIA:
1962, 216 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
Winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1962, this epic commercial film recreates the exploits of famed British officer, T.E. Lawrence, who, assigned to Arabia during World War I, unites the warring Arab factions into a guerrilla front that endures both brilliant victories and eventual defeat against the Ottoman Empire. With Peter O'Toole as Lawrence, and starring Alec Guinness and Anthony Quinn among a host of others. Directed by David Lean. Produced by Sam Spiegel.

LE LION DE DIEU:
mid 1970s, 50 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
For this video, professional actors from Tehran staged a carefully orchestrated performance of ta'ziyeh plays in the village of Natanz, Iran. The ta'ziyeh plays narrate and relive the martyrdom of 680 of Husayn, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad; they are enacted during the first 10 days of the Muslim month of Muharram. Though the performances did not take place during Muharram, and the sequence of plays does not follow the order usually established during this religious festival, this video does provide a valuable -- and rare -- documentary record of ta'ziyeh dramatic representations. Includes interviews with the actors, the oldest of whom has been performing the plays for 50 years. Directed by Jean Baronnet.

LEILA:
1997, 102 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.



LIFE & NOTHING MORE:
1992, 91 min., 2", Color, Farsi w/English subtitles.
This is the second film of the trilogy by Abbas Kiarostami (The other two are "Where is the Friend's Home?", and "Through the Olive Trees"). Set in Koker after the earthquake, this amazing film explores the power of life, and at the same time reflects upon the relationship between life and cinema. A film director and his son set off from Tehran, heading for Koker in order to look for Ahmad, the little actor of the first film, "Where is the Friend's Home?". Most of the film was shot through the car windows, a metaphor of the camera and the postion of the audience; the director with his son in their "secure" car, and we, the audience, in "safe" theaters are witnessing life. This style of shooting allows to underscore the voyeuristic aspect of cinema, and to question the meaning of filming life. Closer to a documentary, the film consists of scenes from the ruined villages and conversations with the survivors of the catastrophe. Through this very realistic composition, the film in a most impressive and touchy way suggests that life goes on despite everything. While scanning the site of the earthquake behind his camera, Kiarostami throws a humorous and compassionate glance at the attempts of human beings to make life goes on. In a scene, for example, he captures bitter-sweet rush of the people of a village completely turned into piles of stones as they try to set a TV antenna with the hope of watching Brazil-Argentina football match in the worldcup. Emphasizing the continuity of life, the film ends in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of life...

LINES IN THE SAND:
1990, 12 min., 2", Color, B&W, H,U,G.
Two themes run though this vivid and succinct film. The first is the discussion of the U.S.'s response to the Persian Gulf Crisis as a type of national therapy session, laying to rest the unquiet ghost of Vietnam. The second theme focuses on the shaping of Americans' perspective by media coverage -- especially television -- much of which was carefully sculpted by the Pentagon. The video not only evokes specific discussion of the media's role in the Gulf War, but demands further discussion of the part it plays in other global concerns -- Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia -- and all war-torn areas. [CNES] Directed by Laura J.E. Morini for Griffin-Wirth Associates.

LION OF THE DESERT:
1991, Part I: 91 min.; Part II: 68 min., 2", Color, H,U,G. Plus a documentary on the making of the film, 32 min.
This historical feature about Umm Mukhtar and the 1930 resistance to Mussolini's occupation of Libya is one of the best films for a view from the indigenous side of the colonial project, although the English version uses Western actors to portray many Arab roles. Includes Anthony Quinn as Mukhtar, Rod Steiger as Mussolini and Irene Papas as Mabrouka. [CNES] Directed and produced by Moustapha Akkad.

LIVING IN PARADISE:
1998, 105 min., 2", Color, Arabic w/English subtitles.
A description of this film is not available.




LIVING ISLAM: WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MUSLIM IN TODAY'S WORLD:
1993, 50 min. each, 2", Color, H,U.
This series was created to answer the question posed in the title and to survey the confrontations of Islamic societies with the West. The on-site photography in Nigeria, Iran, Mali, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, India, the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan and Egypt constantly reinforces the fact that Islam is a global religion not limited to the Arab heartland. Host Akbar Ahmed, an anthropologist at Cambridge University, puts a disproportionate emphasis on his native Pakistan. The ethnographic vignettes in this ambitious series are of great value. It is up to the instructor, however, to provide explanatory details, to place stories in context, to expose bias. [UNC] Produced by BBC-TV.
Part I: Foundations Filmed in Egypt, Mali, France, England, Jordan, Israel and Iraq:
 Part I examines the tenets of Islam in the context of the life of Muhammed, and the fashion in which Muslims around the world balance faith and everyday life. [UNC]
Part II: The Challenge of the Past:
Examines four major Muslim empires of the past -- Andalusian Spain, Ottoman Turkey, Mughal India and Safavid Persia -- and how religious confrontation shaped them. Also looks at a modern example of identity crisis: Pakistan as an Islamic state. [UNC]
Part III: Struggling with Modernity:
This film examines the definition of the word "modernity" as a Western concept of technical prowess, and in Third World terms. Akbar reflects on the tensions within many Islamic states as governments seek to formulate legislation compatible with the spirit of Islam and the 21st century. [UNC]
Part IV: Paradise Lies at the Feet of the Mother:
First describes the ideal role of the Muslim woman and then explores issues of marriage, divorce, veiling, and gender roles in Egypt, Nigeria and Indonesia. [UNC]
Part V: Among the Non-Believers:
Examines the challenge to the 40% of Muslims who live in countries where they are a religious minority. Situations in India differ from those in Britain or in Central Asia. Addresses questions including whether Muslims suffer particular discrimination and whether conflict exists for them between loyalties to the global community of Islam and to one's own nation. [UNC}
Part VI: The Last Crusade:
The West sees Islam too often as a religion of terrorism and with no distinction between fundamentalism and activism. Yet from the Muslim point of view, it is the West that threatens and suppresses. This film concludes with the question of who is under attack and why. Visits Jerusalem, Cairo, Kadvna and Tehran. [UNC]

THE LIVING MARTYR: INSIDE THE HEZBOLLAH:
2001, 53 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available


MARRIAGE, EGYPTIAN STYLE:
199, 50 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
A sensitively filmed documentary concerning the life of a middle-aged woman who lives in a lower class neighborhood in Cairo, and works as a domestic servant. Abandoned by her husband, she reveals with stinging wit her worries about an unmarried daughter and unemployed son and the problems the family faces. In tracing her attempts to find suitable marriage partners for her children, the film reveals much about the dynamics of gender relations and the realities of life for women of her social class. [TM] Directed by Joanna Head.

MEASURES OF DISTANCE:
1988, 15 min., 2", Color
A description of this film is not available.


MECCA, THE FORBIDDEN CITY:
circa 1960, 52 min., 2", Color, M,H,U,G.
This is vivid film of the pilgrimage to Mecca sets the hajj in its religious and social context, giving the historical background of Islam, and leading the viewer through the rituals step by step, not excluding many of the practical realities. Cinematography is spectacular, narration informative and sensitive, avoiding the digression into modernization so common in hajj films. Both the involvement of the individuals as individual in the ritual and the sense of Islamic community are implicit. Aspects of Shi'i Islam as well as Sunni are included and rituals for women and men described. A mildly limiting factor is the film's age, which can be remedied by supplementing it with the more recent Journey of a Lifetime. [Images and Echoes] Directed by Abd el-Ghasem Rezai for Iranfilm.

MEMOIRES D'IMMIGRES:
A description of this film is not available.




MIDDLE EAST I 1900-1956: From the End of the Ottoman Empire to the Suez Crisis :
60 min., 2", Color, U,G.
French-made documentary tracing the international politics of the eastern Arab world, Turkey, and Iran. Emphasizes French role alongside Britain, and seldom portrays aspirations of the peoples of the region except through an Anglo-French optic. Excellent historical footage of major figures and events since the start of 20th century, but clips and narrative are too fast and disjointed for an uninformed viewer to follow easily. Several minor but confusing mistranslations of French commentary into English. [TM] Directed by Alain Ferrari. Historical adviser: Dominique Chevallier.

MIDDLE EAST II 1956-1991: From the Suez Crisis to the Gulf War :
60 min., 2", Color, U,G.
The second half of this documentary continues in a similar vein, tracing events from Egypt to Afghanistan (including those of the PLO and the Palestinian people) in a chronological, newsreel style. Useful if students already have significant background knowledge. [AGF] Directed by Alain Ferrari. Historical advisor: Dominique Chevallier.




MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY: EVANGELICALISM IN AMERICA
*Study guide available with video.
1992, 55 min. each, 2", Color, H,U.
There are between 50 and 80 million Evangelicals in America. The movement claims to be anchored in a 2,000-year-old tradition of orthodox Christianity. Yet in the U.S., Evangelicalism has many different faces and has shown an incredible capacity to diversify and adapt to changing needs and cultural conditions. Hosted by Randall Balmer, Tremaine Associate Professor of Religion at Columbia University, this three-part PBS series examines Evangelicalism at the grass roots level, uncovering its joys and concerns, its strengths and struggles, its basic motivations and visions of life. The series is based on Balmer's book of the same name. Produced by Gateway Films/Vision Video.

MIRROR OF KINGS: TALES FROM KALILA WA DIMNA:
ca. 1970s, 12 min., 2", Color, M,H.
An adaptation of the traditional fables from India and Arabia designed to teach morals and princely behavior to rulers through stories enacted by animals. The animated film narrated by Omar Sharif is based on a 14th Century Mamluk manuscript and its delightful illustrations. [CNES] Smithsonian Institution.

MONGOL HORDES: STORM FROM THE EAST:
1993, 45 min. each, 2", Color, H,U,G.
Though generally very useful presentations, these titles suffer from one major flaw that should be addressed during classroom discussion. The narration implies that despite their technological advances, religious tolerance, and excellent administration, they were nonetheless "barbarians." Encouraging students to recognize this contradictory information may lead to a richer understanding of the Mongols, and of some of our more problematic assumptions about world history. [PM] Directed by Robert Marshall & Viviana Woodruff for NHK & BBC.
Part I: Birth of a Empire :
Part I of this made-for-television documentary begins with a look at modern Mongolia as it emerges from Soviet tutelage. A brief survey of Chingiz Khan's significance as a hero in popular Mongolian consciousness leads into discussion of the origins of his vast empire. The audience follows Chingiz Khan's conquests from Mongolia to Central Asia, Russia and China. The film explores the socioeconomic organization of the Mongols on the eve of Chingiz Khan's birth, his struggle for supremacy, unification of the Mongol tribes under his rule, and the rise of an empire through expansion into China and the territory of the Khwarazm Shah. [PM]
Part II: World Conquerors :
This installment encompasses two central themes: medieval Europe's view of the Mongols and the Mongol impact on central Muslim lands. Exemplified by the Crusades, the struggle between the Christian West and the Muslim world links these two foci and explains that European Christians initially conceived of the Mongols as co-religionists and allies because they too fought against the Muslims. Defeats in Poland and Hungary quickly convinced the West that one's enemy's enemy is not always one's friend. Explorations of medieval myths about the Mongols and how they changed over time offer food for discussion. The rest of the episode addresses the establishment of the Ilkhanate in the territory of modern-day Iran, the destruction of the Assassins, and the Mamluk victory at Ain Jalut. [PM]
Part IV: The Last Khan of Khans:
A description is not available


MOROCCO: THE PAST AND PRESENT OF DJEMMA EL FNA: 1995, 18 min., 2", Color, M,H,U,G.
Marrakech's famous square, a historic crossroad of Arab and Berber cultures, has for years stirred the imagination of Westerners. This documentary captures the color, romance, and spiritual atmosphere that once drew the likes of Edith Wharton, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill. Montgomery shares what tourists see and experience when they come to the square C storytellers, musicians, acrobats, and snake charmers from across the region C and interviews performers about their tradition. The video provides many clever contrasts: for instance, a Moroccan guide discusses the square's history as a destination for caravans from the Sahara and its role as a center for the dissemination of ideas, while a local resident complains about the effects of tourism on the town's young people. [AGF] Directed by Stephen Montgomery.

THE MOTHER OF LIGHT AND HER DAUGHTERS:
1993, 45 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.


THE MOUNTAIN [Al-Jabal]:
1991, 32 min., 2", Color, Arabic w/English subtitles, H,U,G.
In this film, the course of true love is complicated by tradition, which decrees that decent young women submit to marriage arrangements made by the family. A young Palestinian woman from Galilee, Insaff, has been promised by her father to a successful lawyer, but she falls for a young farmer from Gaza. The Mountain is the story of the courage of young lovers to resist an arranged marriage and the courage of older women to stand against tradition. Although Insaff's grandmother lost a daughter who was shot while trying to elope, she encourages Insaff to cross the mountain and start a new life with the man she has chosen. Insaff's mother initially sides with her husband, but in the end joins the conspiracy with her mother-in-law and daughter. The film explores Palestinian life apart from the shadow of Israeli occupation and tells a poignant story of the bond between generations. The only issue that the film seems to neglect is religion: unlike the women of The Mountain, real life heroines who challenge tradition must also confront the relationship between freedom and faith. [KVJ] Directed by Hanna Elias.

MUHAMMAD, LEGACY OF A PROPHET:
2002, 116 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not available.

MUHSIN BEY:
1987, 123 min., 2", Color, In Turkish, U,G.
Funny, sad story of a man who is still very much of the past (honest, unpretentious, grows flowers, shy with ladies) and attempts to keep his dignity while trying to survive in fast-changing, money-minded, modern times. Interwoven is the clash between urban and rural cultures symbolized by the village singer who is looked down upon by the elite. Beautifully acted by Sener Sen as Muhsin Bey. [SY] Directed by Yavur Turgul.

NAMUSLU:
nd 120 min., PAL, Color, In Turkish, U,G.
Ali Riza Bey, an company accountant, is a hard-working, honest, and trustworthy man. Trying to survive on his meager income, he is ridiculed by family and friends because of his honesty. As he returns from the bank one day with a lot of cash, he is held up. Everyone thinks he stole the money but they pretend to believe his declarations of innocence. They are hoping to share in the riches, and no matter how hard he tries, Ali Riza Bey cannot convince them that he was robbed. Includes great slapstick episodes. [SY] Directed by Ertem Egilmez.


NASSER 56:
1996, 140 min., 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.

THE NEED:
1991, 81 min., 2", Color, Farsi dialogue w/English subtitles.
A description of this film is not yet available.

NEW FRONTIERS: THE MIDDLE EAST FOLLOWING WWI (The Middle East series):
*Study guide available with video.
1985, 25 min., 2", Color, Arabic w/English subtitles, H,U U.
Perhaps the most useful installment of this 14-part series, this video focuses on one of the major historical sources of Middle East tension: the redrawing of the region's map following the World War I. The 19th century colonial encroachment in North Africa and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire become intelligible to all, supported by adroit use of film clips and photographs, as well as superior graphics. Explanation of the millet system and of religious as distinguished from territorial identity under the Ottoman Empire clarify the struggle to redefine identity in national terms within the new states emerging from Mandate status into independence. A few, small errors: Kurdistan bridges four rather than three countries, with northern Syria overlooked; nor does Kurdistan extend all the way to the Arabian Gulf. For the most part, though, New Frontiers is a brilliant film carrying out the promise of offering "understanding beyond the headlines." [EFB] Directed by Boiteau & Stansfield for TV Ontario and Mideast Productions. Narrated by Richard Bulliet.

NIGHT OF THE JACKAL:
1989, 105 min., 2", Color, Arabic with English subtitles, U,G.
The film is set in the Syrian countryside just prior to the 1956 invasion of Egypt and follows the decline of a peasant farmer, Abu Kamel, as his vanity destroys his life and the lives of his family. Too caught up in his own concerns, he fails to notice the individual problems of the rest of his family as one by one they pass beyond the point where their honor and in some cases, their lives, can be saved. Within the framework of Syria's rich culture, Abdulhamid cuts to the heart of the human struggle shared by us all. Directed by Abdulatif Abdulhamid.

NOT WITHOUT MY VEIL: WOMEN IN OMAN:
1993, 30 min., 2", Color, M,H,U.
The film opens with the conventional question of whether Islam is a challenge to the West or whether Muslims long to mirror Western life, employing the kind of exotic imagery whose stereotypes it will later try to dispel. It includes interviews with women of several ages and backgrounds (Bedouin woman, married and unmarried women, a bank president), who address issues of lifestyle, domestic situation, marriage and education, and ideals of beauty and self identity. The film benefits from the focus on various environments: at work and at home, in the city, the village and the desert. But although it includes quotes from the Qur'an, it does not address the personal relationship between religion and veiling, which is a factor for some women who wear hijab. And there are few scenes of men and women interacting, which is more a part of daily life than the film would have us believe. [AGF] Produced by Mia Grondahl.


ODYSSEY: DADI'S FAMILY:
1981, 60 min., 3/4", Color, M,H,U.
A portrait of a woman's life, aspirations, and constraints she experiences as a member of a Hindu family in a rural, agricultural setting in northwest India.

THE OIL KINGDOM SERIES:
1984, 60 min. each, 2", 3/4", Color, H,U.
This series on Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman is hosted by journalist Jo Franklin-Trout using on-site interviews. Her goal is to demythologize this area for Americans, offering insight into contemporary social life as well as politics and plans for the future. But there is confusion, at times, about exactly where she is! [UNC] Produced by PBS/Pacific.
Part I: Kings and Pirates:
The historical background of "commerce, colonialism and culture" of the Gulf States -- from Portuguese conquest through British hegemony --leads to discussion of the discovery of oil and the impact of the petrodollars on the modernization process. [UNC]
Part II: The Petrodollar Coast:
Franklin-Trout visits Oman, a nation described as "medieval" in 1970, but now miraculously modernized. Interviews in the United Arab Emirates address the role of women and issues concerning foreign workers. [UNC]
Part III: A Sea of Conflict:
This video documents the volatility of the smaller Arab Gulf States, their vulnerability as international pawns, and their sensitivity to local Arab religious and political pressures. [UNC].

ON BOYS, GIRLS AND THE VEIL:
1995, 73 min., 2", Color, Arabic w/English subtitles, H,U,G.
This beautifully filmed piece examines veiling in the context of Egyptian society, rather than as an isolated religious phenomenon, as so many films have. Focusing on Bassem, a teacher and aspiring actor; and his family, neighbors and friends, this film unfolds a gentle narrative on the social and cultural factors that contribute to women's decisions to veil. Through Bassem, we see social interaction between young men and women uninhibited by hijab; and watch his veiled friends engage in animated discussions over whether veiling protects them from harassment; whether it is an obligation; and whether it signals their virtue or their religious beliefs. Throughout we get a sense of the secular (and less so, religious) dimensions of their decisions: how peer pressure, male-female relations, and societal expectations play determining roles. [AGF] Directed by Yousry Nasrallah.


ON THE EDGE OF PEACE:
1994, 104 min., 2", Color, Arabic, Hebrew w/English subtitles, U,G.
Video cameras were given to Israelis and Palestinians so that they could document aspects of their daily lives in Israel and the Occupied Territories during the transitional period from the signing of the September, 1993 Oslo Accords to the beginnings of Palestinian self-rule in May 1994. Diarists filmed during a period including the massacre of Arabs at Hebron; the bombing of an Israeli bus at Afula; the release and return of Palestinian prisoners; and the beginning of self-rule in Jericho. The diarists are an older Israeli whose son was killed during the invasion of Lebanon; a West Jerusalem high school senior on the verge of entering the army; an Israeli girls' school teacher living in a West Bank settlement; three Palestinian boys involved in the Fatah youth movement; a family whose Jericho home was destroyed and son jailed after he joined the intifada; and a family in a West Bank refugee camp that has lost several male members through deportation and dispersal. [AGF] Directed by Ilan Ziv. Produced by Daoud Kuttab, Amit Breuer and Ziv.


ORIGINS AND EVIDENCE (Crossroads of Civilization series):
1978, 58 min., 2", Color, M,H,U.
Exploring a crucial stage in the evolution of civilization, this program profiles Cyrus and Darius, and examines the role of each in the development of the Persian empire. While piecing together this story, the film illustrates why the Iranian plateau became crucial in geographical, political and historical terms. Narrated by David Frost.

THE OTHER HALF OF ALLAH'S SKY:
1998, 2", Color.
A description of this film is not yet available.
PAINTED BRIDE: HENNA ART AMONG PAKISTANI WOMEN IN NEW YORK CITY:
1990, 24 min., 2", Color, Some Urdu & Hindu w/English subtitles, M,H,U.
Shenaz Hooda, a Pakistani henna artist living in Queens, guides us in this exploration of the Islamic art of henna decoration practiced on special occasions, most notably weddings. As she applies lacelike designs of henna paste, Hooda discusses the history of the tradition and the purpose of the mehendi, the pre-wedding ceremony where the bride, female relatives, and friends gather to have hands and feet decorated, sing teasing songs about the groom and in-laws, and generally distract the bride during her last days before marriage. Hooda describes her own courtship and marriage, and we witness her mehendi. She also discusses how she has adjusted customs and skills (her daytime job is supervising a drugstore cosmetics department) to America while retaining the values and culture of her home country and community. An accompanying booklet gives excellent supplementary information on the mehendi and words to many of the teasing songs. Directed by Susan Slyomovics & Amanda Dargan.


PALESTINE: STORY OF A LAND:
Part I: 1880 - 1950
1993, 60 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
Beginning with the earliest mass migration of European Jews to Palestine, this video guides viewers through the persecution of European Jews and development of the Zionist ideal, the early view of Palestine as "a land without people for a people without land", and post-WW II events leading to the founding of Israel. Explores with a critical eye the gradual displacement of the native population, their disadvantageous position in world politics, and illustrates how resistance to colonialism (beginning with the British mandate) was at the root of Arab resistance to a Jewish state. Valuable especially for 19th century photographs of Palestine and early footage shot by the Lumières and by a local Jewish filmmaker that reveal much about the way in which Palestine was viewed on the world stage and by Jewish immigrants. [AGF] Directed by Simone Bitton.

PALESTINE: STORY OF A LAND:
Part II: 1950- 1991
1993, 60 min., 2", Color, H,U,G.
Covering the period from the founding of Israel to the Madrid peace conference, the second installment introduces key figures - Arafat, Begin, Nasser, Rabin, Sadat, Shamir, and others - and traces their roles and the evolution of conflict between the Israelis, Palestinians and neighboring Arab countries. Close attention paid to Israeli government, Arab countries, and PLO stances over time grounds events in a political and historical context, and illustrates the range of attitudes among leaders. Video deals with terrorist acts, political strategies, and peace offers as they were acted out by Israelis and Palestinians. Note: Brief footage of bombings and torture are quite graphic. [AGF] Directed by Simone Bitton.




PALESTINIAN COSTUMES AND EMBROIDERY, A PRECIOUS LEGACY:
1990, 35 min., 2", Color, M,H,U.
An updated and condensed version of the original (below) that provides more useful narration on when and how everyday and ceremonial clothing was worn, traces where patterns originated, and examines the cross-pollination of styles between Europe and the Middle East. Showcases late nineteenth and early twentieth century bridal and everyday wear in characteristic patterns and materials from five regions: Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Hebron, Jaffa, Northern Palestine/Syria, Majdal (coastal area), and Gaza and the southern deserts. An excellent overview with a fine eye for detail. [AGF] Produced by Farah & Hanan Munayyer.

PALESTINIAN NATIONAL COSTUMES: PRESERVING THE LEGACY:
1980s, 70 min., 2", Color, M,H,U.
A presentation of a unique collection of traditional Palestinian bridal and ceremonial costumes of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, modeled to the beat of Arabic music. The film includes over 30 complete costumes from all parts of Palestine. The first half, featuring models, is useful for seeing how the dresses and headdresses were worn together and the distinctive styles of each region; while the second half includes close-ups of various stitches, patterns and accessories. Useful, if spare narration on the characteristics and history of the clothing and jewelry. [AGF]

PALMS AND POMEGRANATES: TRADITIONAL DRESS OF SAUDI ARABIA:
1987, 12 min., 2", Color, M.
A marginally useful promotional piece, this video focuses only briefly on the clothing mentioned in the title. After an encyclopedia-like overview of Saudi Arabia's topography, geography, major cities and industries, the video stresses preservation efforts as applied to archaeological sites, wildlife, folk arts, dance, music, desert sports and traditional clothing. [AGF] Produced and directed by Christopher C. Hayes for the U.S. Committee for Saudi Arabian Cultural Heritage.

THE PEDDLER:
1986, 95 min., 2", Color, Farsi dialogue w/English subtitles.
A description of this film is not yet available.

PEOPLES OF ISLAM:
1982, 24 min., 2", Color, H,U.
This film complements The Gift of Islam with its discussion of the ways of life and societies of Muslims throughout the Middle East. Assuming some familiarity with the basic tenets of Islam, it focuses on the task of "fusing a new way of life with an enduring heritage." Shown are Muslims in Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Malaysia and Indonesia, representing tolerance of diversity and adaptability to change, together with the universality of the teachings of Islam. The multiformity of practices superimposed on the unity of belief is well documented in vignettes sampling the geographic panorama of the Islamic world: a Yoruba Qur'anic lesson in Lagos; a fete for a returning hajji in West Java, etc. Women's roles are subtly interwoven. This advocatory film does concentrate mainly on urban areas, and does not take up questions posed in the wake of Iran's experience; however, its value lies in its introduction of Muslims and the practice of Islam in a contemporary world. [EFB] Written and directed by Stuart Day.

THE PRAYERS OF THE WARLORD
52 min.
A peculiar title for an interesting and somewhat counter-intuitive film. The film focuses on a man named Mamour Hasan who is the "warlord" of the town of Dasht-i Qal'ah in northern Afghanistan. The film was made after the downfall of the Taliban and the establishment of the Transitional Interim Government of Hamid Karzai. The filmmakers treat their subject with great sympathy and show a remarkably credible view of daily life - how market space is controlled and taxed, how the truly destitute are taken care of, and how water - the essence of life in the region - is managed (the depiction of the role of the mirab bashi and his own observations about himself and his father are quire striking), the importance of weapons for local security, and even the intimate details of polygamous marriages. The film does fall back on the old film cliché of showing a Muslim at prayer and never quite says