- Title: USA: New film 'Journey to Mecca' follows ancient Hajj journey
- Date: 27th May 2009
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA (MAY 27, 2009) (REUTERS) SOUNDBITE (English) ) DAVIES SAYING: "In this film we have a great Muslim hero, Ibn Battuta. We don't have a Muslim terrorist. Although most of the Muslim actors have played the roles of terrorists in movies in one time or another. This is a different film and we are trying to present what the culture of 20 per cent of the world's population is really like."
- Embargoed: 11th June 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA8MIIWQG5U1TAMBIDQCU8AZIXO
- Story Text: The movie, 'Journey to Mecca' tells the dramatic story of Ibn Battuta, the greatest explorer of the Old World.
The IMAX feature film follows his first perilous pilgrimage in 1325 from Tangier to Mecca.
Resonating with adventure, "Journey to Mecca" presents an unforgettable picture of Islamic civilization during the 14th century, book ended by shots of contemporary Hajj.
Taran Davies is the Executive producer of the film
"The purpose of this film is to share with our audience the root of the meaning of Islam is peace, equality and friendship. That's what we want people to take away from the film. Another element to what we hope this film will show is in part an adventure story. It is a young man who sets out on this epic journey from Tangier to Mecca to perform the Hajj in the 14th century. This young man turned out to be the greatest traveler of the old world."
The film takes viewers from the Sahara to the Grand Mosque, the center of the Hajj.
Ibn Battuta is besieged by countless obstacles as he makes his way across the North African desert to Mecca.
During his travels he is attacked by bandits, dehydrated by thirst, rescued by Bedouins, and forced to retrace his route by a war-locked Red Sea. When he arrives in Mecca, he is a man transformed.
Said Davies, "In this film we have a great muslim hero, Ibn Battuta. We don't have a muslim terrorist. Although most of the muslim actors have played the roles of terrorists in movies in one time or another. This is a different film and we are trying to present what the culture of 20 per cent of the world's population is really like."
"Journey to Mecca" opens in theaters in the U.S. in early June - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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