Films That Matter
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IFC Center was hot last week. A Jihad For Love had a very successful US premiere there. A film that has and will stir up status quo thinking in the international Muslim community, A Jihad For Love looks at gay and lesbian Muslims and uncovers a hidden face of the world’s fastest-growing religion. It’s an emotional collection of personal stories gathered from India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa and France. It’s an important film, one that is sure to bring change even in just the telling of it. As the film’s director, Parvez Sharma states, “Our Jihad for tolerance, peace and understanding has only just begun.” Support this Jihad as it screens for a second week at the IFC Center.
Of course Arts Engine’s own eighth annual Media That Matters Film Festival also premiered at IFC Center last week. Brave new films like Hammoudi, an anti-war film showing civilian, often children, casualty of war opened to a packed theater on Wednesday night. The collection of 12 inspiring short films are now available online and on DVD. In the near future we will be getting their messages out to the world and we encourage you to do the same. You can view the films and take action here and can soon add them to your blog, curriculum, program or local screening.
