Central Asia Premiere!

Dear Supporter
Since we started making this film, we saw how often times those with the loudest voices were the only ones to get heard and how those in power like to impose it on the rest of the people. We wanted to fight for the silenced ones. We aspired to tell the story of a community and its Imam that has never been told through the medium of film before. We aspired to show a side of Islam that is often not covered in the media these days. And, as one does when the going gets tough, you put your head in the clouds way up there to find some peace and sanctity. For me, “the clouds” was an aspiration to do a BIG premiere in Tajikistan. Bringing the film to the Tajiks has been important to me, but they are part of a metaphor: a symbol for all those who have been marginalized, faced hardship and struggle, and whose lives should be at least a little bit easier.

This week, those clouds come down to earth and the dream becomes a reality. This week the film premieres in Tajikistan.

Stay up-to-date (based on as much Internet access I can get!) via the blog http://agakhanfilm.blogspot.com

And thank you to all those who have supported and bought the film. Your support has allowed us to make screenings in remote places possible including probably Central Asia’s first premiere of a foreign film in decades! :)

Best wishes,
Shamir

AN ISLAMIC CONSCIENCE wins 2nd place at Festival

Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival

BCIFF 2008 Jury Awards

Best Investigative/ Political Documentary

1^st Place- Drug Wars: Silver or Lead-Rusty Fleming

2^nd Place-An Islamic Conscience- Shamir Allibhai

3^rd Place- Documented America: The I Word- CJ Raef

Follow-up from the Seattle Screening

Source: http://www.tasveer.org/newsletters/2008-08-09%20ISAFF%20Volunteers/

An Islamic Conscience — One of Tasveer's best events!

We had a very insightful screening and discussion on Sunday on the documentary An Islamic Conscience. Many thanks to Chaya's Peaceful Families Taskforce and the Ismaili community for taking the lead on this event.

Some quotes from audience members:

“This film captured the respect and love that Ismailis have for their spiritual leader.”

“I really liked the film. I am glad it covered the expulsion of Asians of Uganda. This was an important event in our [Ismaili] history.”

“This film is relevant and important for all Muslims, not just Ismailis... Actually its important for everyone to watch it... it covered 9/11 and the work of Aga Khan in the post-9/11 world, especially in Afghanistan.” - Riz

“The environment was really nice and the event exceeded my expectations. I really liked the ideas that came up during the post-film discussion.” - Heena

“Two Thumbs for the moderator [Natasha Merchant]!” - Hafiz

Tasveer has An Islamic Conscience DVDs for sale. Contact info@tasveer.org for more info.

Tasveer is a Northwest non-profit dedicated to promoting Independent South Asian cinema.

US Film Festivals in the next few weeks

AN ISLAMIC CONSCIENCE: the Aga Khan and the Ismailis film has been accepted into the following US film festivals scheduled over the next few weeks:

West Hollywood, California: West Hollywood International Film Festival

Wed, July 30: 8:30PM
Regency Theater
7907 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048
http://westhollywood.bside.com/2008/films/anislamicconscience_westhollywood2008
http://whiff2008.com


Seattle, Washington: Tasveer
(profits go to charity)

Sunday, Aug 3rd: 1-3pm
Central Cinema 

1411 21st Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98122 (http://www.central-cinema.com/)
http://www.tasveer.org/


Houston, Texas: Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival

Sat, Aug 9: 4:10pm
Sheraton North Houston
15700 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Houston, TX 77032
http://bayoucity.bside.com/2008/films/anislamicconscience_bayoucity2008
http://www.bciff.com/festivalinfo.html

We hope you can attend!

Plus the film just screened in the Real to Reel Film Festival in Cleveland County, North Carolina last week: http://www.ccartscouncil.org/realtoreel/real2008.htm 

Aga Khan Film - now in TEN Languages

Forwarded from our e-mail blast:

Dear Supporter

The Africa Premieres went incredibly well with a big launch in Dar es Salaam, followed by screenings in Kampala, Mombasa, and Nairobi. We had great turnouts at the events with politicians, ambassadors, embassy staff, development workers, press, academia, and people from the general public of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds. We hope you followed the blog which includes lots of pictures from the trip: http://agakhanfilm.blogspot.com

And thanks to a few generous people, AN ISLAMIC CONSCIENCE: the Aga Khan and the Ismailis film is now available in ten languages. Yes, TEN LANGUAGES!!! We meant it when we said this is a film for the East as much as it is for the West!

Our film has been sub-titled for Arabic, Gujarati, French, Hindi, Urdu, Farsi, Russian Cyrillic, Spanish, German, and English. The new version of the DVD is now available for purchasing from the website: http://agakhanfilm.org/buy_now.asp

Thank you for all your loyal support. Without you, the film would not be where it is today.

Keep spreading the word,

Shamir & the Aga Khan Film team
http://agakhanfilm.org

An example of the clash of ignorance

Unbelievable. This is a great example of the clash of ignorance that the Aga Khan speaks of. See the article below my questions:
Questions that came to mind:
-Did the writer do any research on the Aga Khan and his countless examples of development work??? How about research on the Aga Khan's commitment to peace between Muslims and non-Muslims and his repeated emphasis on the values of tolerance and pluralism?
-does the writer understand anything about Islam or even Muslims? (or even when to use the world Islam versus Muslim?!) Does he understand the simple, basic fact that not all Muslims are terrorists (in fact, the overwhelming majority are peaceful and peace-loving)? Does he understand that Islam is not a monolith? (Just as Christianity or Judaism is not.)
-When has the Aga Khan ever preached America's destruction?
-I am not a believer in fear tactics but isn't this the wrong person to be fearful of? And doesn't using fear tactics in this way diminish the credibility of fear tactics overall? (The sky is falling approach - "What has this nation come to?") Maybe James needs to inform himself better on the subject and read a speech of the Aga Khan's as a minimum before writing such a piece. Or better yet, I hope James emails me so I can send him a copy of the film.

Sounds scary

Source: http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20080727/NEWS/477638734/1044/OPINION

Published July 27, 2008

Sounds scary

Most of the public understands that universities confer honorary degrees with somewhat selfish motives of fund raising or political posturing in mind.

Nevertheless, to use a major university’s name to make a questionable award certainly can raise eyebrows and possibly have the opposite of the desired effect.

Harvard University in its spring commencement, awarded five honorary doctorate degrees. Among the honorees, Sen. Ted Kennedy, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and Aga Khan.

Aga Khan?

Possibly not a household name, but Khan is none other than the spiritual leader of millions of Shia Muslims in 25 countries.

Harvard’s published reasons for Khan’s award does not include anything noteworthy other than his political position — no pioneering research, certainly no contributions to world peace.

Here we are more than five years into fighting the Muslims in the war on terror, and almost seven years after Muslim fanatics attacked the World Trade Center.

We still see a steady stream of maimed GIs and bodybags from Iraq — again the handy work of Muslims.

Yet, America’s oldest, most prestigious university makes one of Muslim key leaders an “Honorary Doctor of Laws.”

What has this nation come to? It is scary enough for a handful of liberals to embrace Muslims and their lifestyle, but to push these beliefs on the rest of the country when they openly preach America’s destruction is unforgivable.

James W. Anderson

Talladega

Shamir Allibhai on 1-hour TV chat show

The Larry King of Tanzania: Hamza Kassongo and his weekly self-titled show. His episode of July 16th, 2008, he sat down with me where we discussed the film journey, most memorable moments, criticism, and more.

Aga Khan Film - Africa Tour. Day 11: Nairobi

(written on the day, posted after)

Another early morning flight but this time without any hiccups! I was on the flight with three friends who I had gone to undergrad with, two of them now teachers at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa and are Golden Jubilee Games bound.

Karim Manji, who organized the Nairobi screening, explaining to the cinema manager the last minute details

Nairobi Premiere - June 22

The last screening happened and sadly the Africa tour has come to an end. Over two years ago when I started the film, I never would have suspected we would be having "Africa Premieres". The outpouring of support has been touching and motivating, and I am grateful to the audiences and all those who were instrumental in organizing!

Where next?

Last Screening Tonight

Just landed in Nairobi and it has started to sink in that this is the last screening of our East Africa Tour... Feeling slightly sad.

It has been a blitz trip but it has been touching how it has all come together with the local support. It is also nice that we are ending in Nairobi just before the Golden Jubilee Games. There is buzz in the air! My morning's flight Mombasa to Nairobi had many people who were traveling for the event. Its all very exciting!

Updates soon...

Aga Khan Film - Africa Tour. Day 10: Mombasa

(written on the day, posted after)






KENYA PREMIERE: Mombasa Screening, June 21st

I nearly didn't make it to the Mombasa screening. The Kenya Airways Kampala to Nairobi flight was at 5am and when I got to the counter at 4am, they told me that the travel agent had actually booked my ticket as standby rather than confirmed. Discussion and debate proved fruitless as the lady at the counter said that the flight was completely booked and that there are others ahead of me in the 'standby' queue waiting to squeeze on as well.

In the midst of the drama, coupled by not having slept after the Kampala screening, I found out that there is an Air Uganda flight that would go to Nairobi at 7am. I anxiously waited for Air Uganda’s reservation office to open to see if there were seats available. Luckily there was and I made to Nairobi where I then had to find a new connecting flight to Mombasa as I had missed my original one because of the delay. I had to take what I could get at this point and I found a propeller plane which I boarded and left on.

I didn’t really know what to expect at the Mombasa screening. People had told me Mombasa residents are laissez faire. They may commit but not many will show. The cinema was packed! Almost all of the 375 seats in the cinema were taken up and it was filled with a diverse crowd in terms of age and religious backgrounds. The most touching moment – and there were many at this screening - was when a lady came up to me after the screening with tears in her eyes and she said, I am Gujarati but not an Ismaili. You are so lucky to have a Hazar Imam.

Aga Khan Film - Africa Tour. Day 9: Kampala

(written on the day, posted after)

Uganda Premiere - June 20th

A note from the screening:
Before the screening I was chatting to some people and a lady came up to me saying she works with the Aga Khan Education Services. She said that there was a group of non-Muslim Canadians that had come to Kampala earlier this year. Three of them had seen our Aga Khan film that was broadcast on Canadian television channel, VisionTV, and were so moved, they decided they would allocate the sizeable amount of donation money they had set aside for Africa causes to the Aga Khan Development Network. (I wondered to myself if the film team should get a commission :) )

Naturally, this was never our objective but ...its nice to know films can really inspire people into action and its not just filmmaker idealism with their heads in the clouds!

Interview w/ NTV

Introduction by Azim Tharani of Kampala

Two more screenings to go: Mombasa and Nairobi....

NationTV Coverage - Kampala - June 20, 2008

I got a preview copy of the news report that Barbara Angopa did earlier today on the Aga Khan Film which goes out on NationTV very soon. P.S. Barbara has been nominated for the 2008 CNN African Journalist of the Year Award (she finds out soon if she has won!)

A tidbit: the Aga Khan was involved in the founding of Nation Media which NationTV is part of.