UAE | Heritage and Culture

New movie promotes Islam's message of peace

"Peace, equality and friendship is the message of Islam that we want to be understood," a high profile filmmaker said.

  • By Eman Mohammed, Abu Dhabi Deputy Editor
  • Published: 23:38 January 7, 2009
  • Gulf News

Abu Dhabi: "Peace, equality and friendship is the message of Islam that we want to be understood," a high profile filmmaker said.

The comments were made at a press conference in the capital to announce the world premier IMAX film Journey to Mecca presented by Image-nation Abu Dhabi, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Media Company.

Taran Davies, one of the producers, said he was inspired to make the movie after 9/11 and wanted to make a film to promote an understanding of Islam.

The movie aims to honour Ibn Battuta and also celebrate the Haj. Shot in Saudi Arabia and Morocco in English and Arabic, it tells the amazing story of Ibn Battuta, regarded as the Arab world's greatest classical traveller who ultimately went all the way to China, and his first pilgrimage between 1325 and 1326 from Tangiers to Makkah. His perilous journey is filled with adventure and conveys an unforgettable picture of Islamic civilisation in the 14th century, culminating with Ibn Battuta's first Haj.

"Four years ago when we started talking about the movie no one showed interest in producing such a film; no one was familiar with the character and no one thought that we would be allowed to film in Makkah," said Davies.

The movie stars newcomer Moroccan Chems Al Deen Zinoun who plays Ibn Battuta, but sadly died in a car accident shortly after completing his first lead role in a film at the age of 28.

The movie is a joint production between a group of producers in the West and East in association with National Geographic and presented by the King Abdul Aziz Public Library and the King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies in Saudi Arabia.

The movie is the only time an IMAX camera has captured an aerial view of the Haj from a helicopter hovering 200 feet above Makkah, and the first time an IMAX team has been admitted to the most sacred sanctuary of Islam - the Grand Mosque.

The first showing of the film took place yesterday and it will be screened until tomorrow at a specially created outdoor venue equipped with an IMAX screen at the Emirates Palace Hotel.

Fundraiser

Book to be auctioned

Publisher Kraken Opus announced yesterday the publishing of a Journey to Mecca , in which the story of the Haj will be portrayed in 850 pages measuring half a metre square.

"The founder's philosophy is to put great stories in print and we are proud to be producing an opus dedicated to such an important, dramatic, and extraordinary testament of human endeavour; the pilgrimage to Makkah," said Karl Fowler, founder partner of Kraken Opus.

Up to 2,500 pictures chosen from about four million taken during the making of the film will be included in the 4kg book.

The first copy will be auctioned and the proceeds donated to an Islamic charity to be announced. Organisers hope the top bid will surpass the world-record $5 million (Dh18.36 million) paid for the unique Manchester United opus in a 2007 charity auction for Dubai Cares.

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