Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Just Released: Documentary Film on Baha'is of Egypt

An independent Egyptian film maker, named Ahmed Ezzat, has just released a documentary on the struggle of the Egyptian Baha'is. The film, banned by the Egyptian authorities, is entitled "Identity Crisis [My Religion or My Country]: The Baha'i Quagmire in Egypt."

Below is the promotional segment for the film. The fully bearded man at the start of the promo was one of the hostile Islamist attorneys present at the 16 December 2006 Supreme Administrative Court session which ruled against the Baha'is. Others in the promo, in addition to a couple of Baha'is, are: prominent sympathetic bloggers and human rights activists, and another Islamist calling for killing the Baha'is. Details as to how to acquire the film in its entirety will follow.

Update:
Award winning Global Voices Online picks up the story here....

Posted by Bilo at 7:45 PM

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18 comments:

  1. As a Baha'i in the United States, I can't possibly fathom what these souls are enduring. But the film helps. I wonder if they know that their courage give us courage.

    It appears to be an incredibly beautifully done film. After seeing the trailer I'm anxious - not because the topic is so close - but because this film appears to be art on the highest order.
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  2. It is a story well presented indeed, made by a person of the "highest order."
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  3. dear bilo
    i added the site to my blog with edition of the report by Arab netowrk for HUman right informatiom
    http://basmagm.wordpress.com/
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  4. Dear Bilo: Many thank for sharing the film clip. The Egyptian and Persian Baha'is are truly the shining lights and they are always in my prayers. I am wondering how we can get a copy of the documentary?
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  5. you can rest assured that He will not carray out his satanic desires here in the USA because I will defend myself and my family against his ilk!!!!

    we have the bill of rights here in the USA including the First and Second Amendments to the US Constitution!!!
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  6. Although short, this beautifully made video is so expressive and moving. God bless the courage and perseverance of these jewels of Bahá’i. They inspire us all!
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  7. A few of points of clarification:
    1) This clip is only the promotion for the film. The entire (extended) film has been already completed and viewed by some human rights organizations in Cairo. The film though has been banned by the Egyptian authorities from public viewing in Egypt.
    2) As soon as a mechanism by which the complete film becomes available for distribution, an announcement will be posted on this blog as to how to acquire the film.
    3) The film was made by a courageous independent Egyptian film maker who is a Muslim and not a Baha'i. He took on this project on his own initiative, out of his love for justice and equality. He presented the film as a documentary intended to show the violations of human and civil rights of the Baha'i citizens of Egypt.
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  8. Global Voices Online website has just reported on this banned film about the Baha'is of Egypt.
    To view the site, please click here....
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  9. Bilo,
    Thanks for this most interesting posting. Mr. Ahmed Bahgat produced a wonderful documentary and I cannot wait to see the documentary in its entirety. People like Mr. Bahgat make me proud of the land of my birth, Egypt, where civilization began and where it is destined to be reborn anew!
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  10. DEAR NABIL
    THE PRODUCER & AT SAME TIME COMPOSER OF THE FILM NAME Ahmad Ezzat & not Ahmad bahgat
    greeting
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  11. Nabil,
    I assume you meant Ahmed Ezzat, who is an independent documentary film maker in Egypt.
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  12. Smile Rose and Bilo,

    Thank you for correcting me - my senility is beginning to show. My apologies to Mr. Ahmad Ezzat for not writing his name correctly. His work is so well done and I can't wait to see the entire video! Thanks, Mr. Ahmad Ezzat!
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  13. Senile is only an adjective for mature ;-)

    Thank you for your balanced and valuable contributions.
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  14. Dear Bilo:

    Thank you for clarification of how to obtain the film. May God bless Mr. Ahmed Ezzat and all involved in producing the film. I will wait patiently until is available and share it with my community.

    Thanks again Bilo.
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  15. I'm looking forward to buy a DVD with this documentary!
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  16. Dear Ahmed Ezzat, if I am adressing you that is. I am a film producer in Ireland and I am very interested in your story. At the moment I am working on a feature film that we hope to shoot next summer in Egypt with two Irish/Egyptian girls. I would like to hear some of your ideas on 'Identity' in Egypt today. Are you perhaps attending the Arab Film Festival in San Fran this month? Please contact me at cathal@sonta.ie. Thank you.
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  17. Dear Cathal,
    I forwarded your message to Ahmed Ezzat. He should contact you directly. Please let me know if you need further assistance.
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  18. I hope to see this in Dawn Breakers International Film Festival next year (www.dbiff.com)

    I saw many film on Baha'is of Iran.
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