Anisa Mehdi
Encyclopedia
Anisa Marie Mehdi is an Emmy Award
winning film director and journalist. She is of half Iraq
i and half Canadian descent.
Her main focus when producing documentaries or programmes lie within religion, as her most notable documentary was Inside Mecca
, which was produced by National Geographic. Many of her works have appeared on PBS, ABC News
, and CBS
. Besides being a director and reporter, she is also founder and president of Whetstone Productions, and is Professor of Communications at Seton Hall University
.
Anisa is reported to be the first Canadian woman to cover the Hajj
for broadcast in the United States. As executive producer of the PBS "Frontline" special Muslims, she received the 2002 Cine Golden Eagle Award
.
She is currently working on a project about young Muslim
and Christian
people in Algeria
, working together to achieve peace. As well as producing more documentaries, she is also writing a biography on her father, Dr. Mohammad T. Mehdi, who is believed to be the first Arab American
activist in the United States
. In 2007, Mehdi and two other writers launched the Arab Writers Group Syndicate.
She currently lives in Maplewood, New Jersey
.
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
winning film director and journalist. She is of half Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i and half Canadian descent.
Her main focus when producing documentaries or programmes lie within religion, as her most notable documentary was Inside Mecca
Inside Mecca
Inside Mecca is a 2003 National Geographic documentary film that offers an intimate documentation of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Aside from providing insight regarding the universal principles of Islam, this production emphasizes the historical significance of Mecca to both the Muslim and...
, which was produced by National Geographic. Many of her works have appeared on PBS, ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
, and CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. Besides being a director and reporter, she is also founder and president of Whetstone Productions, and is Professor of Communications at Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
.
Anisa is reported to be the first Canadian woman to cover the Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
for broadcast in the United States. As executive producer of the PBS "Frontline" special Muslims, she received the 2002 Cine Golden Eagle Award
Award
An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signifiedby trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins, or ribbons...
.
She is currently working on a project about young Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
people in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, working together to achieve peace. As well as producing more documentaries, she is also writing a biography on her father, Dr. Mohammad T. Mehdi, who is believed to be the first Arab American
Arab American
An Arab American is a United States citizen or resident of Arab ethnic, cultural and linguistic heritage or identity, who identifies themselves as Arab. Arab Americans trace ancestry to any of the various waves of immigrants of the countries comprising the Arab World...
activist in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2007, Mehdi and two other writers launched the Arab Writers Group Syndicate.
She currently lives in Maplewood, New Jersey
Maplewood, New Jersey
Maplewood is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 23,867.-History:...
.
External links
- Official Site
- Anisa Mehdi at IMDB