Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Sufi Films Relaunched


Back in the saddle again. After a few years off from film making, Director James McConnell has decided to revive the Sufi Films production company.

Sufi Films does not intend to become a propaganda machine and thus blindly work to cover the many discrepancies within the Muslim community. Sufi Films intends to provide a fresh, honest and accurate look at all things Islamic. Focusing on hard hitting documentary films that reveal both the good and the bad aspects of the Islamic world as well as the Western world. Addressing real issues within the Muslim community before those issues become reasons to hate and methods to negatively define what it means to be Muslim. The result of such repeated negative portrayals of Muslims in the media has taken a noticeable toll on Muslim life. Efforts to dress down and fit in are most apparent in the western world.

All films will have an air of verisimilitude that should help propel an accurate message that seeks to dispel and reverse the many false negative images and views perpetrated in most of the major media outlets.

McConnell feels that the time is right - that the Muslim world has become more sophisticated and may now be willing to provide the necessary support to launch a concerted public relations effort to combat the many efforts that marginalize everything Muslim. Funds that used to be earmarked for building mosques and supporting humanitarian efforts would be better directed towards informative films that will help stop the hatred and abuses that result from ignorance and misinformation. Advance funds for educational documentary films will have a far greater impact on stopping atrocities in the Muslim world and the resulting need for humanitarian aid, before they are perpetrated.

Taking just one simple example from our brothers and sisters in the Jewish community, who well understand the need to define before being defined by others, Steven Spielberg's started the Fund for Jewish Documentary Filmmaking: Established in 1996 with a lead gift from Righteous Persons Foundation, the Fund for Jewish Documentary Filmmaking (housed at the National Foundation for Jewish Culture) has supported just under 60 films and given away over $1.3 million to support the creation of original documentary films and videos that promote thoughtful consideration of Jewish history, culture, identity, and contemporary issues among diverse public audiences.

You can help Sufi Films promote thoughtful consideration of Muslim history, culture, identity, and contemporary issues among diverse public audiences by becoming a benefactor to Sufi Films by making a general donation or select a film in development which you would like to support and become an active participant. Also, be sure to visit our store and purchase our existing offerings and products.

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