www.levantinecenter.org On the evening of Thursday, December 3, 2009, three prominent Hollywood producers came together to talk about how their medium, film and television, can be a positive force in bridging Americans and the Arab/Muslim world. A video of their conversation, which was moderated by bestselling author Reza Aslan, will be available shortly. To order a copy, contact Levantine Cultural Center, 310.657.5511. All photos by Noora Elkoussy. Mark Amin, a native of Iran, most recently served as Vice Chairman of Lions Gate Entertainment, where he was on the Board of Directors for nine years. Through his independent production company, Sobini Films, which has a first-look deal with Lions Gate, Amin has continued to produce a diverse slate of feature films. During his stewardship of Lions Gate, the company’s revenues grew from 4M to .2B; during the same period, Lions Gate produced and distributed such critically acclaimed films as “Monster’s Ball,” which earned Halle Berry an Academy Award for Best Actress, and “Crash,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, as well as blockbusters such as “Saw” and the Tyler Perry “Madea” franchise. Howard Gordon graduated from Princeton and has written and/or produced such television shows as “Spenser: For Hire,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “X-Files.” He is the writer and showrunner/producer of the hit show “24” starring Kiefer Sutherland. “24” came under criticism for the way Arabs/Muslims were portrayed, which led …
Video Rating: 5 / 5
Winner of an RTS Award for Best Independent Production, this is a drama documentary based on Somerset people’s experiences of the First World War. Directed by Colin Thomas and narrated by Paul McGann, this 3-part programme features the war memories of 110 year old Harry Patch. Drama re-enactment is performed by children and adults from Midsomer Norton and Radstock, with the help of the historical re-enactment group, The Great War Society. Inspired by Somerset author Chris Howell’s book: No Thankful Village, in which he recounts the tales of First World War survivors. Produced by Every Picture Media, UK. (formerly Wild Fire Productions, Bristol)
Video Rating: 4 / 5