Whether addressing the contemporary struggle to maintain belief in a rapidly changing world or seeking ways to visualize the ineffable experience of the divine -as well as the divine itself - these recent and classic works, alike, explore the deeply human joys and complexities of Muslim faith and identity as viewed from a diverse range of cultural contexts and genres. Islam is not only the subject of these films, it is their inspiration.

Please also see "Archive Previews" for films related to this series, The Edge of Heaven (2007) and Brick Lane (2007).

Special thanks to: Susan Slyomovics, Jonathan Friedlander—UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies.

Friday May 9 2008, 7:30PM ( Online Ticket Sales Ended )

THE MESSAGE
(1976, Pakistan/Kuwait/Morocco/Lebanon/Libya/United Kingdom) Directed by Moustapha Akkad

Moustapha Akkad's impressive directorial debut chronicles the birth of Islam in seventh-century Arabia. Determined to make an enlightening primer on the basic teachings of Islam, Akkad balances Koranic exposition with the kind of spectacular set pieces expected in Hollywood-style religious extravaganzas. While Mohammed plays a central role, the film refrains from depicting him via body or voice in accordance with Islamic custom.

Screenplay: H.A.L. Craig. Cinematographer: Jack Hildyard. Cast: Anthony Quinn, Irene Papas, Michael Ansara. 35mm, 177 min.

Saturday May 10 2008, 7:30PM ( Online Ticket Sales Ended )

TIMES AND WINDS
(BES VAKIT)
(2006, Turkey) Directed by Reha Erdem

In a rural village on Turkey's rocky coast, the growing pains of a Muslim community's adolescents play out in time to the rhythms of nature and Islamic tradition. The muezzin's call to prayer serenely inaugurates each of the film's five sections while Florent Herry's cinematography powerfully conveys the pastoral beauty against which the touching, yet melancholic, ensemble piece unfolds.

Producer: Ömer Atay. Cinematographer: Florent Herry. Cast: Ozkan Ozen, Ali Bey Kayali. Presented in Turkish dialogue with English subtitles. 35mm, 111 min.

Wednesday May 14 2008, 7:30PM ( Online Ticket Sales Ended )

A DOOR TO THE SKY
(BAB AL-SAMA MAFTUH)
(1989, Morocco/Tunisia/France) Directed by Farida Ben Lyazid

Farida Ben Lyazid's directorial debut brought a bold, feminist perspective to the shifting values of Moroccan society. The Sufi-inspired tale vividly enacts the spiritual awakening of Nadia after she returns from France to her native Fez for her father's funeral. Inspired by the chanting of Koranic verses, she begins a journey of self-discovery that simultaneously challenges the orthodoxy of Isamic tradition.

Cast: Chaidia Hadraoui, Eva Saint-Paul, Zakia Tahri. Presented in Arabic and French dialogue with English subtitles. 35mm, 107 min.

Saturday May 17 2008, 5:00PM

Saturday May 17 2008, 7:30PM ( Online Ticket Sales Ended )

LE GRAND VOYAGE
(2004, France/Morocco) Directed by Ismael Ferroukhi

Réda, a French-Moroccan teenager, begrudgingly agrees to drive his devout father on his pilgrimage to Mecca. While their relationship in the car grows claustrophobic, their view grows more expansive as the landscape changes from Europe to the Middle East. The film culminates in spectacular scenes of pilgrims converging on the holy city that trigger in Réda a new understanding of his father's faith.

Producer: Humbert Balsan. Cinematographer: Katell Djian. Cast: Nicolas Cazalé, Mohamed Majd, Jacky Nercessian. Presented in Arabic, Bulgarian, French, Italian, and Turkish dialogue with English subtitles. 35mm, 108 min.

Saturday May 24 2008, 2:00PM* ( Online Ticket Sales Ended )

Children's Matinee!
MUHAMMAD: THE LAST PROPHET
(2004, United States) Directed by Richard Rich

This delightful animated feature is suitable for all-ages as a rousing and moving story of the origins of Islam. Narrated in flashback, the film recounts Muhammad's life from the time of his first revelation to the final victory of his egalitarian message over the forces of repression that controlled Mecca. In keeping with Islamic tradition, director Richard Rich never directly represents Muhammad on screen.

Producer: Mowafak El-Harthy. Screenplay: Brian Nissen. Cast: Eli Allem, Nicholas Kadi. 35mm, 95 min.

Friday May 30 2008, 7:30PM ( Online Ticket Sales Ended )

OF LOVE AND EGGS
(RINDU KAMI PADAMU)
(2004, Indonesia) Directed by Garin Nugroho

On the eve of the Lebaran holiday, the residents of a Jakarta marketplace raise money to buy a cupola for their humble mosque while navigating the, by turns, comic and poignant adventures of everyday life. Director Garin Nugroho employs intimate camera work and a richly textured mise-en-scene to craft a warm, colorful portrait of a close-knit Muslim community.

Screenplay: Armantono Ginting, Sakurta Ginting. Cinematographer: Josep Fofid. Editor: Choiril Anam. Cast: Nova Eliza, Sakurta H. Ginting. Presented in Indonesian dialogue with English subtitles. 35mm, 90 min.

Saturday June 7 2008, 7:30PM ( Online Ticket Sales Ended )

DESTINY
(Al-Massir)
(1997, France/Egypt) Directed by Youssef Chahine

After The Emigrant (1994) was met with official censorship for its on-screen depiction of the prophet Joseph, director Youssef Chahine responded to his critics head on in Destiny. From the life and thought of twelfth-century Islamic scholar Averroes, Chahine weaves a rousing potboiler of political and religious intrigue, peppered with romance and song, that doubles as a powerful assault on religious extremism, then and now.

Screenplay: Youssef Chahine, Khaled Youssef. Cast: Nour El-Sherif, Laila Eloui, Mahmoud Hemida. Presented in French and Arabic dialogue with English subtitles. 35mm, 135 min.