College Writing Fall 2005: AU Library video holdings on topics addressed in Fragments of Grace
updated (8/05)

The selections included here are tailored to the topics raised in the book Fragments of Grace and do not represent the library’s complete video holdings on Islam, The Middle East,  Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, etc. For a comprehensive list of videos on a given topic one will have to use keyword searches in the ALADIN catalog. 

In the line of fire. 2002. 1 videocassette (60 min.). "In the Line of Fire exposes the harsh reality of covering news from the Middle East. ...the journalists taking the pictures are being attacked and even shot by Israeli soldiers while they are covering the West Bank. ... This documentary follows two Reuters cameramen, Mazen Dana and Nael Shyoukhi, who live and work in the West Bank city of Hebron."--container. VHS 7716

Indymedia: war and peace trilogy. 2003? 1 videodisc (80 min.). In Independent media in a time of war, journalist and host of Democracy now!, Amy Goodman, criticizes the pro-military bias of the mainstream news media, whose reportage of the U.S. invasion of Iraq downplays or ignores the impact on civilians while overstating the success of U.S. military operations. The speech was recorded at Christ Church, Troy, New York on Apr. 21, 2003. Footage of the speech is interwoven with footage of news reports and graphic scenes from the war. Voices against war chronicles the experiences of people on the streets of Manhattan who participate in a Feb. 2003 protest against the war in Iraq. Womens' fast for peace examines the case of 125 women in upstate New York who, on the eve of the Iraq War, fasted to create a culture of peace rather than of war.  DVD 937

No man's land: women front line journalists. 1994. 1 videocassette (50 min.). Profiles members of a truly rare breed -- women war correspondents. The film focuses on Janine di Giovanni, an American reporter who covers Sarajevo for London's Sunday Times, and Lyse Doucet who covers the "forgotten war" in Afghanistan for the BBC. As they and others such as Clare Hollingworth, Maggie O"Kane, Kate Adie, Ann Median and Martha Teichner speak of their experiences and personal sacrifices, many common traits are revealed. Paints a gripping portrait of women who have staked places in a traditionally male profession.  VHS 4584

Reporting from the hot spots. Close up conversations. 2000. 1 videocassette (15 min.). Features reporters who report from war zones and other dangerous "hot spots," and countries where democracy and freedom of the press do not exist.  VHS 7121

War feels like war. 2003. 1 videocassette (59 min.). Documents the lives of reporters and photographers from various countries who got access to the Iraq War. Reveals the addictive nature of modern war reporting.  VHS 7723

In search of Al Qaeda. 2002. 1 videocassette (60 min.). "Follow the trail of Al Qaeda from the Afghan border areas into Pakistan's cities as U.S. and Pakistani authorities track down some of the network's leaders.  The journey continues to other Middle Eastern countries, where local villagers, officials and others are interviewed about what has happened to Al Qaeda and its efforts to regroup"--Container.  VHS 7338

Islam and war. Islamic conversations. 1994. 1 videocassette (30 min). Seen as the spiritual head of the Hezbollah, Sayed Fadlallah -- a leading political figure in the Lebanese Islamic Movement -- gives his views of Jihad or Holy War, its rules, its origins, and the role of terror in such a war. The program also examines how Muslim thinkers see the role of war and violence in the contemporary world, and why some feel the need to wage a Holy War.  VHS 6143

With God on our side: George W. Bush & the rise of the Religious Right in America. 2004. 1 videodiscs  (ca. 97 min.). "Takes an in-depth look at President Bush's connection with evangelical Christianity ... a parable of the complex ways religion and politics mingle in American life"--Container.  DVD 1236

Afghan massacre: the convoy of death. 2003. 1 videocassette (51 min.). Report by Jamie Doran on the circumstances surrounding the surrender in November 2001 of over 7000 Taliban in Northern Afghanistan. Only about 3000 survived transfer to Sheberghan Prison, and then hundreds more were taken to Dasht Leile, executed, and buried in mass graves. The film contends that Afghan soldiers and American Special Forces' complicity in war crimes and human rights violations is being covered up.  VHS 7623

Afghanistan: state of the Taliban. 2001. 1 videocassette (50 min.). This documentary traces the history of the Taliban from its rise to power in 1996 to its dominance over the Afghan population. Through interviews with Afghan civilians and refugees this program examines the ideology and objectives of this militant Islamic organization and the tactics they use that often violate human rights and are contrary to the beliefs of many who follow the Islamic religion.  VHS 6851

Afghanistan unveiled = Regards D'Afghanes. 2003. 1 videocassette (52 min.). In November and December of 2002, 14 young women, trained as video journalists and camera operators, traveled to rural regions of Afghanistan to interview their countrywomen. In the span of two months, they met and spoke with women eking out an existence in caves, women risking punishment by daring to appear on film and women whose lives and families had been destroyed by years of bombing and oppression.  VHS 248

Beneath the veil. 2001. 1 videocassette (56 min.). A report on current conditions in Afghanistan. The program focuses on the harsh version of Islamic law that has been imposed on Afghanistan by the Taliban, which controls most of the country.  VHS 6828

Beyond the veil. 1999. 3 videocassettes (52 min. ea.). The born again Muslims: Variations in veil policies in Sudan, Turkey and Iran reflect variations in Islam in these three countries. Shows that the Muslim world is not monolithic in its views. The holy warriors: Film examines the reasons for more radical interpretations of the Quran in Algeria, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Analysis of the jihad helps Westerners perceive why some Muslims believe that they can escape Westernization only through violence, how one man's terrorism may be another man's patriotism. How then can differing cultures find a common basis for mutual respect? The new cold war: Is the gap between the West and moderate Muslims widening? Is the West determined to impose its values on Islamic nations without regard to national preferences, thus radicalizing local patriots? Are all Western motives self-serving? When both cultures accept that their definitions of democracy and human rights differ, there will be a firm basis for dialogue now, and peaceful co-existence in the future.  VHS 5550

Breaking the silence: truth and lies in the war on terror. 2004. 1 videodisc (51 min.). In 2001, as the bombs began to drop, George W. Bush promised Afghanistan "the generosity of America and its allies". Now, the familiar old warlords are regaining power, religious fundamentalism is renewing its grip and military skirmishes continue routinely. In "liberated" Afghanistan, America has its military base and pipeline access, while the people have the warlords who are, says one woman, "in many ways worse than the Taliban".  DVD 803

From ground zero to ground zero. 2002. 1 videocassette (52 min). The story of the journey of Masuda Sultan, a young Afghan-American woman who traveled to find family in Afghanistan after the September 11 terror attacks and subsequent military action by the U.S. Arriving in Pakistan, she brings aid from America to Afghan refugees and visits family members who survived to flee their country. To visit Kandahar in Afghanistan, she hires armed guards from a local warlord for protection and guidance. She visits a market, hospital and school in the city, and finds some relatives still living there. At her family's destroyed farm outside the city, she learns that the village was attacked by American soldiers and numerous family members killed. Finally she visits the American base at Kandahar where she tries to find out why innocent people of her family and village were attacked by U.S. soldiers.  VHS 7115

In this world. orig. 2002. 1 videodisc (88 min.). FEATURE FILM.  The hazardous journey of two Afghan boys as they travel from Pakistan through Iran, Turkey, Italy, France and the UK in search of refuge in London, revealing the desperate measures people take to escape persecution and life-threatening conditions.  DVD 1319

Kandahar: journey into the heart of Afghanistan. orig. 2001. 1 videodisc (85 min.). FEATURE FILM.  Nafas, an Afghan-born Canadian journalist, returns to her homeland in a desperate attempt to reach her sister, who, overcome with grief after being injured by a landmine and her despair over the Taliban's oppression of women, has vowed that she will commit suicide at the time of the next solar eclipse, only three days away.  DVD 563

Osama. orig. 2003. 1 videodisc (83 min.). FEATURE FILM.  Chronicles the true story of a young girl in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan who must disguise herself as a boy to save her family from starvation. The first feature film made in Afghanistan in the post-Taliban era.  DVD 911

The Prayers of the warlord. 2002? 1 videocassette (52 min.). A documentary profiling a feudal lord, Mamour Hasan, who currently governs 50,000 people in Dash-Te-Qalah, in the northeast corner of Afghanistan.  VHS 7612

Rise: revolutionary women re-envisioning Afghanistan. 2002. 1 videocassette (15 min.). Documents the lives of Afghans following the recent American-led military campaign. RAWA members interview refugees, victims of factional fighting and Taliban abuse as well as residents who witnessed the recent bombings of civilian homes. RAWA spokeswomen call for gender equality, democracy, freedom, and an end to foreign military intervention. Shot by members of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan, using both a regular and a hidden camera.  VHS 7564

The Birth of Pakistan. Archives of the 20th century. 1993. 1 videocassette (20 min.). On August 15, 1947, Pakistan was born. As the former Indian provinces debated whether to be part of India or Pakistan, religious differences flared into full-scale rioting, which led to large-scale migration; millions moved from India to Pakistan, and vice versa. This program documents the birth of the new country; the death of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, leader of the Moslem League; the economic and political problems of the new country; the Indus Water Treaty; the war in Kashmir; the independence of Bangladesh and the resulting war with India; the rise and fall of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto; Zia's assumption of power and adoption of strict Islamic rules; the impact of the war in Afghanistan; the death of Zia and the election of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's daughter, Benazir.  VHS 6308

Bombay. orig. 1995. 1 videodisc (130 min.). FEATURE FILM.  "Based on true incidents.  Personifies Hindu-Muslim racial tensions ... starts out a love story, a romance between a south Indian Hindu man and a Muslim woman ... taboo in the small village they hail from.  They marry against family wishes and move to Bombay ...  The rest of the film is set in the December 1992-January 1993 period when the "Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid" controversy had raised racial tensions in Bombay (and other parts of India) and sparked riots and violence.  The family is separated from the children and fathers of both parents are killed ... An underlying moral of thinking of oneself as an Indian rather than a Hindu or a Muslim is prevalent throughout the latter part of the film"--Munseh Makhija in Internet Movie Database.  DVD 235

The Boy in the branch. 1993. 1 videocassette (27 min.). "Set at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh headquarters in Nagpur, India ... is a documentary film on the proselytization of young Hindu boys by the RSS.  The RSS has a network of approximately 33,000 'shakhas' or branches for purposes of 'preparing' RSS volunteers and spreading the Hindu fundamentalist ideology ... Through RSS games, rituals, stories and instruction ... and interviews with RSS volunteers, the film highlights ... the process of indoctrination in the transition of innocent child to communal militant."--Container.  VHS 6814

Father, son and holy war. 1994. 2 videocassettes (120 min.). A film examining the connection between religion, violence and male identity in India today and exploring the possibility that a key to the psychology of violence against "the enemy" is male insecurity, itself an inevitable product of the very construction of "manhood".  VHS 6683

Frontline World: stories from a small planet: March 25, 2004. 2004. 1 videocassette (60 min.). In the first segment, Pakistan: On a Razor’s Edge, "PBS' international newsmagazine follows reporter Sharmeen Obaid as she journeys across her native Pakistan to gauge the feelings of the Pakistani people regarding their president’s crackdown on domestic terrorism and his efforts to secure peace with the country's bitter enemy, India.  VHS 7819

The Great gathering. 2003. 1 videocassette (52 min.). "Provides a rare and fascinating study of the history, meaning, and diverse participants of the Maha Kumbha Mela, a spectacular Hindu sacred festival held every twelve years on the banks of the Ganges in India. The Kumbha Mela is the largest festive gathering of humanity on earth. It rotates between four different host cities. In 2001 it is estimated that 50 million people gathered for this unique event. By bathing in the Ganges during the Kumbha Mela it is believed that one will be absolved of all past-life Karma and freed from the vicious cycle of birth and death.  The Kumbha Mela of 2001 was a very auspicious occasion and was held in Allahabad. Pilgrims came by plane, train, car, and foot from every corner of India as from around the world" -- http://ucmedia.berkeley.edu/default.html.  VHS 7472

Hello photo. 1995? 1 videocassette (55 min.). Disconnected scenes of a year's travel in India give the impression of walking from one place or event to another.  Scenes include crowds, animals, a jute factory, a wedding, a prison, a pol games, buildings and statuary.  VHS 3614

India after independence. Archives of the 20th century. 1993. 1 videocassette (21 min.). This program covers the anxious years since India became independent in 1947: the rioting and bloodshed of the first few weeks of independence, when tens of thousands died and millions became refugees as Moslems tried to get to the newly created Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs to India; Gandhi's assassination and its aftermath; India's invasion of Portuguese Goa and clash with Chinese forces along the northeast border; Nehru's death; the war in Kashmir; the accession of Indira Gandhi; war and the creation of Bangladesh; violence by and against Sikhs; the events at the Golden Temple in Amritsar; the assassination of Indira Gandhi; and more.  VHS 6307

Jang aur aman = War and peace. 2002. 2 videocassettes (147 min.). "Filmed over three tumultuous years in India, Pakistan, Japan and the United States, after the 1998 nuclear tests on the Indian subcontinent ... [it] documents the contemporary, epic journey of peace activism in the face of religious militarism and war .... [It] examines the militarization of India, it analyzes the human cost that is extracted from its citizens in the name of 'national security' .... [It] slips seamlessly from its analysis of homemade jingoism to focus on how an aggressive United States has become a foreign relations role model.  The unofficial U.S. doctrine of 'might makes right' is only too well emulated by aspiring Third World elites"--Container.  VHS 7158

Kashmir: valley of despair. 1998. 1 videocassette (44 min.). The valley of Kashmir is occupied by both India and Pakistan and acts as a buffer zone between these two nuclear powers. The Kashmiri people want an independent, autonomous state, which India refuses to grant. India fears that if Kashmir gains sovereignty, other ethnic minorities may also demand independence. The Kashmiri rebels, backed by Pakistan, and Indian government  forces are waging a war of attrition that nobody appears to be winning and which could result in nuclear conflict. This program provides a history and a thorough analysis of the political, religious, and ethnic causes of the Kashmir conflict.  VHS 6310

Mission Kashmir. orig. 2000. 1 videodisc (160 min.). FEATURE FILM. In a strife torn valley of Kashmir, Altaff (Roshan), an orphan of war is adopted by a policeman (Dutt). One day Altaff discovers a shocking truth that converts him into a warrior and he becomes a famed guerilla fighter. The fate of Kashmir depends on a final, ferocious encounter -- Mission Kashmir.  DVD 321

Pakistan. Asia in transition. 1999. 1 videocassette (51 min.). Situated in western Asia, Pakistan occupies a region of political and economic tension. This program looks at Pakistan's complex relations with Iran, India, and the United States and the contributions of its multicultural population. The influences of Punjabi and Pathan, Sindhi and Baluchi, and Ismaili and Buddhist are all captured, set against the background of life both in cities and in rural communities. The region's heritage as the seat of the Indus Valley civilization is also explored.  VHS 7119

Partition of Pakistan. 1998. 1 videocassette (50 min.). In August 1947, Pakistan became a separate Muslim nation amid the bloodshed following the partitioning of India. To this day, the religious animosities that prompted the separation persist, with both Muslims and Hindus claiming political superiority. This program examines the role of Pakistan's founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, in Pakistan's fight to be recognized as a separate nation. It traces Jinnah's evolution from supporter of a British plan to preserve India as a single  nation with Muslim autonomy, through his contentious relationship with Mahatma Gandhi, to his ultimate role as leader of the Pakistani separatist movement. Jinnah's legacy is examined in India and Pakistan, where he is alternately vilified and deified.  VHS 6309

The Selling of innocents. 1996. 1 videodisc (ca. 50 min.). Documentary on the young girls in the sex traffic industry in India.  DVD 788

Stories my country told me with Eqbal Ahmad. 2000. 1 videocassette (56 min.). Eqbal Ahmad, a leading authority on colonialism and nationalism, travels Pakistan's and India's Grand Trunk Road from Calcutta to Lahoue, commenting on the history and politics of the subcontinent. Having personally experienced, as a child, the partition into India and Pakistan, he speaks movingly of the evil effects of nationalism and sectarian hatred.  VHS 6305

Tuomion temppeli = Temple of doom. 2002. 1 videocassette (49 min.). "Violence erupted in the late winter of 2002 in Ayodhya, resulting in the deaths of six hundred people, The immediate cause was that fundamentalist Hindus wanted to build a temple to the god Ram on the same spot where ten years earlier they had destroyed a Muslim mosque.The film examines the anxiety with which India's Muslim population regards the fundamentalist Hindus, who have become less tolerant of minorities because they believe India should be a Hindu nation." -- from www.filmakers.com. VHS 7262

Price of youth. 2000. 1 videocassette (ca. 9 min.). "'The Price of Youth' examines the recent explosion in systematic trafficking of young girls and women from Nepal to work as prostitutes in Bombay, in neighboring India. Featuring undercover footage from Witness partner Andrew Levine and narrated by Winona Ryder, with music by K. Sridhar and Philip Glass, 'The Price of Youth' exposes this horrific practice. It documents grassroots efforts to combat the forced prostitution of Nepali girls and to rehabilitate these young victims. "The Price of Youth" featured as a "Work in Progress" at the Sundance International Film Festival. Excerpts of "The Price of Youth" were included in the January 18, 2001 episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show with Madeleine Albright, about the issue of worldwide trafficking." --from www.witness.org.  VHS 7559

At the end of a gun: women and war. Life. 2000. 1 videocassette (24 min.). Part 9 of a series on how the globalized world economy affects ordinary people. Druki's family fell victim to the bloody civil war between the Tamil Tigers and Sri Lankan government forces that has been tearing the island of Sri Lanka apart for the last 17 years. This program reports from Sri Lanka on the suffering of thousands of women -- widowed, displaced, detained, separated from husbands, children and other loved ones -- as a result of the war.  VHS 7172

Frontline World: stories from a small planet: May 23, 2002.  2002. 1 videocassette (57 min.). The second segment, Living with terror, examines life in Sri Lanka amid continuing acts of terrorism.  VHS 7669

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