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The Rumi Forum presented "Cities of Light: The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain" Film Screening and Discussion with the cooperation of The Middle East Institute, Unity Productions Foundation, and Public Agenda

Participantsenjoyed the movie. Afterwards, attendees broke into five groups and discussed with facilitators the highlights of the film. The Rumi Forum would like to thank our friends at 20,000 Dialogues, The Middle East Institute and Public Agenda for co-hosting this event.

Cities of Light: the Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain is a 45 minute documentary of high culture and high drama filled with vital history and contemporary relevance. Its major theme centers on the way in which followers of the three great Abrahamic traditions—Jews, Christians, and Muslims—interacted, blended, and flourished, yet ultimately faltered in Medieval Spain as the forces of extremism tore it apart. This film has been utilized by hundreds of teachers and community organizers for dialogue on Islam, globalization, and tolerance. Join us to watch this thought-provoking film and participate in a dialogue on the contemporary importance of Islamic Spain.

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The Rumi Forum presented "Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet" Film Screening and Discussion with the cooperation of 20,000 Dialogues.

Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet tells the story of a seventh century prophet who changed world history in 23 years, and continues to shape the lives of more than 1.2 billion people. Three years in the making, the film takes viewers not only to ancient Middle Eastern sites where Muhammad's (PBUH) story unfolds, but into the homes, mosques and workplaces of some of America's estimated seven million Muslims to discover the many ways in which they follow Muhammad's (PBUH) example. A KQED presentation, Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet is produced by Kikim Media and Unity Productions Foundation.

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The Rumi Forum presented Desperate Hours Film Screening and Discussion: An Evening with the Director Victoria Barrett.

Victoria Barrett's award-winning documentary depicts the little-known narrative of Turkish citizens, Muslim and Christian alike, who worked to save Jews from Hitler's concentration camps. Following the screening, Ms. Barrett will answer questions and discuss the documentary. There is no charge for this event.

Victoria Barrett has 20 years experience in the entertainment industry as a producer, director, writer and actor.Ms. Barrett’s most recent production is Desperate Hours, which tells the little known story of Turkey’s rescue of thousands of Jews facing certain death during the Holocaust. Turkish diplomats put their lives at risk to save Jews being shipped to concentration camps, and as Germany began excluding Jews from university and professional positions, Turkey welcomed them. The film also explores how Archbishop Angelo Roncalli, Apostolic Delegate in Istanbul during the war, who later became Pope John XXIII, worked with future leaders of Israel in rescue. Pope John XXIII called the Second Vatican Council which issued Nostra Aetate. Desperate Hours reveals these stories of Muslims, Christians and Jews co-operating in saving lives during the Holocaust.

Ms. Barrett is director, producer and co-executive producer of Desperate Hours. The film was shot in Super 16mm in five countries: Israel, Turkey, Italy, Austria and the United States. Desperate Hours premiered at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C and was the Grand Jury Winner and Audience Award Winner at the DC Independent Film Festival. Ms. Barrett was also recognized for Creative Excellence as Director of Desperate Hours at the International Film and Video Festival in CA. Recently, Bnai Birth Canada created The Global Excellence in the Arts Award specifically for Ms. Barrett. This award will now be presented annually to an international artist. The film aired on NY Mountain Lake PBS and WV PBS in 2004 and will be presented for national distribution on PBS. Desperate Hours has also been broadcast in Europe and the Middle East, including Israel Channel One and CNN-Turk.

Ms. Barrett is currently finishing The Forgotten Holy Land, which she produced, co-wrote and hosted. This documentary tells the history of Christianity in ancient Asia Minor and other parts of modern Turkey. The Forgotten Holy Land was shot in Super 16mm in 15 locations throughout Turkey in a challenging schedule of five weeks. Locales included remote areas in the east such as Mt. Ararat, the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, Ephesus and Istanbul.

Ms. Barrett has also begun pre-production on “The Guilt of the Innocent” a documentary on Pope John XXIII and his rescue of Jews during the Holocaust as well as his transformation of Catholic teachings towards Jews and the ripple effects until the present day. As an actor, her films include starring roles in Russian Roulette, Three Kinds of Heat, America 2000 and Over the Brooklyn Bridge. She was a guest star on the hit television program Cheers. Ms. Barrett has written numerous travel and news articles that include a piece on Istanbul for the New York Times. She has also written a series of articles on Russia, beginning with her eye-witness account of the coup in 1991 in the then Soviet Union, and the many social and economic reforms that followed.

The Rumi Forum presents “Three Faiths One God: Judaism, Christianity, Islam” with Director and Producer, Gerald Krell.

The documentary, “Three Faiths, One God: Judaism, Christianity, Islam” compares similarities and differences in religious beliefs and practices that Islam has with Christianity and Judaism. It also examines how people of goodwill in the Abrahamic faith communities are coming to terms with historical conflicts that impact their lives today, the crisis of the fundamentalist approach to religious pluralism, and tearing down barriers to understanding & respect. To learn more about the film “Three Faiths One God: Judaism, Christianity, Islam”, please visit www.3faiths1god.com.

Auteur Productions, Ltd. is a television production company in Washington, D.C. The principals of the organization are Gerald Krell, Meyer Odze and Adam Krell. Mr. Krell and Mr. Odze have garnered many international awards for a wide range of documentaries, public affairs, and educational programs that have taken them to every continent to cover a variety of subject matter for the private and public sector. Prior to forming their own company they were senior documentary producers with the United States Information Agency.

Auteur’s latest public television documentary “Three Faiths, One God: Judaism, Christianity, Islam” thoughtfully compares similarities and differences in religious beliefs and practices that Islam has with Christianity and Judaism. The documentary was produced and directed by Gerald Krell and photographed and edited by Meyer Odze. Adam Krell was the associate producer.

Auteur Productions produced “Jews and Christians: A Journey of Faith”, a 2 hour documentary television special which is airing nationwide on over 200 public television stations. Auteur is also producing a documentary, which chronicles the 100 year history of the National Press Club, and shows the importance of the Club in the development of American journalism in general and the Washington Press Corp in particular.