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Ramadan in America: Through the Lens of a Filmmaker

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Anisa Mehdi Date: Wednesday, 24 October 2007 Time: 3:45 p.m. EDT (1945 GMT) View Webchat Transcript

Muslims in the United States and around the globe have concluded their observances of Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer and contemplation. Muslim-American filmmaker Anisa Mehdi has spent the last several weeks capturing images of Americans as they observe this important month. Please join her for a discussion of her video project, how you can view these short films, and other questions related to her life in America.

Guest Biography: Anisa Mehdi is an Emmy award-winning journalist specializing in religion, the arts and people. For more than 20 years she has reported, written, and directed and produced television news and documentary programs for major American media outlets, including National Geographic, PBS, ABC News and CBS. She is producer/director of "Inside Mecca," the National Geographic Special that premiered on PBS October 22, 2003, and played to audiences worldwide on National Geographic Channels International. She led several teams of photojournalists covering the Hajj pilgrimage in February 2003, focusing on the journeys of three individuals from the United States, Malaysia and South Africa. She writes perspective pieces for newspapers, magazines and Internet sites and lectures worldwide on Islam and the media. Ms. Mehdi is producer/director of "Inside Mecca," the National Geographic Special that premiered on PBS, October 22, 2003. "Inside Mecca" also played to audiences worldwide on the National Geographic Channels International. She led several teams of photojournalists covering the Hajj pilgrimage in February 2003, focusing on the journeys of three individuals: from the USA , Malaysia and South Africa.