Images of the Haj that you may not have seen

"I want people to feel elated when they see this documentary," says Anisa Mehdi, producer-director of Inside Mecca

Last updated: July 23, 2019 | 22:22

1 MIN READ

Anisa Mehdi, producer director of Inside Mecca

How did National Geographic Channel think of the documentary?

How was permission obtained?

You have been reporting for over 20 years, including on the Middle East. Do you think this, and the fact that you're an American Muslim of Arab origin (Anisa's father is of Iraqi origin), makes you particularly suitable as producer and director of "Inside Mecca"?

You were also the first American woman to report on the Haj from Makkah for US television (in 1988). How different was making this film from that reportage?

How did you choose the three pilgrims whose Haj you were to follow?

How did you prepare for filming?

What were your first shots?

What were the most moving moments of filming the Haj?

And the most difficult moments?

How did you make sure your filming did not intrude on the pilgrimage of others?

How have you made the intensely personal experience of the Haj into a universal one?

Did your visit inside Makkah and the filming change you in any way?

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