Najdat Anzour
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Najdat Ismail Anzour is a Syrian television director known for his controversial films broadcasted during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The films are aired by the Dubai based Middle East Broadcasting Corporation and aim to end the terrorism committed by Muslim extremists. As these films are aired during Ramadan, at time when Muslims are at home to break the day's fast, the number of people viewing these programs is very high. Although his work is supported by many Muslims, others object to his vilification of terrorist actions. Anzour is the son of Ismail Anzour, the director who made Taht sama'a Dimashq (Under Damascus Skies), Syria's first silent film, in 1932.
[edit] Films
- Al-Hour al-Eyn (Beautiful Virgins) (2005) traces the lives of attackers, victims, and survivors of the November 2003 terrorist bombings of Riyadh, and challenged the popular belief among many terrorists that they would be rewarded with seventy-two beautiful virgins each in heaven. This film was viewed by an estimated fifty million people.
- "Renegades" (2006) is one episode is a series called Always by Hatem Ali. In Anzour's "Renegades" episode the subject is how the terrorists who bombed the London underground in 2005 were not true Muslims because they acted with violence. The episode also points out that good Muslims were killed by the attacks as well as innocent non-Muslims.
[edit] References
- Donna Abu-Nasr. "New Syrian TV Show Angers Some Arabs". ABC News, October 10, 2005.
- Craig Nelson. "Arab miniseries takes on militants". Statesman.com, November 28, 2005.
- Michael Slackman. "For Ramadan Viewing: A TV Drama Against Extremism". New York Times, July 6, 2006.
- Deborah Amos. "Ramadan TV Special Sends Anti-Terrorism Message". NPR's All Things Considered, September 11, 2006.
