14 & Muslim (2018)
Available via CBC Curio
Meet young Muslim kids as they transition from private, Islamic elementary school to public high school, capturing what it means to be young, Muslim and growing up in the West at this unsettling time in modern history. Through their wide eyes, we begin to understand the dilemmas facing them. As they take us on their journey revealing fears, anxieties, hopes and dreams, their story moves from the familiar to the strange, and unfolds against a larger backdrop, that of a western world that seems to be increasingly turning against them. To accompany the documentary, a specially developed Educator’s Resource Guide for Grades 7 to 12 is available to download from the film’s website.
Join Centennial Libraries, GCEI, and Centennial's MSA on October 21, 2021 for a screening of 14 & Muslim! Register here.
Me and the Mosque (2005)
Available via NFB
Using original animation, archival footage and personal interviews, this full-length documentary portrays the multiple relationships Canadian Muslim women entertain with Islam’s place of worship, the mosque. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. In North America, a large number of converts are women. Many are drawn to the religion because of its emphasis on social justice and spiritual equality between the sexes. Yet, many mosques force women to pray behind barriers, separate from men, and some do not even permit women to enter the building. Exploring all sides of the issue, the film examines the space – both physical and social – granted to women in mosques across the country.
This documentary was the seed that grew 6 seasons of the beloved, internationally-acclaimed, award-winning CBC TV comedy series, Little Mosque on the Prairie (2007-2012). Set in the small, fictional Canadian prairie town of Mercy, Muslims and Christians live and love together.
Home No More (2018)
Available via CBC Curio
In the aftermath of the terrorist attack on a Quebec City mosque, three Muslim women contemplate leaving the place they call home. Home No More explores what it’s like living as a Muslim woman in Quebec City, one year after one of Canada’s worst terrorist attacks — the deadly shooting at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec (CCIQ) on January 29, 2017. The attack claimed the lives of six worshippers and injured 19 others, forever altering the complex relationship between Quebec’s Muslim community and the predominantly white, Catholic population of the city.
Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam (2009)
Available via Academic Video Online (AVON)
Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam follows Michael and his kindred spirits as they travel across the U.S. in their green school bus, challenging Muslims and non-Muslims with punchy anthems like Sharia Law in the U.S.A. Their spiritual odyssey then leads them to Pakistan, where they bring punk to the streets of Lahore and reconnect with Islam in a bold new way.
The Secret Life of Muslims (2016)
Available via Academic Video Online
The Secret Life of Muslims, uses humor and empathy to subvert stereotypes and reveal the truth about American Muslims: fascinating careers, unexpected talents, and inspiring accomplishments, providing a counter-narrative to the rampant Islamophobia prevalent in the media.