America at a Crossroads
R&D Grantees, Third (Final) Wave
African Americans and Islam
St. Clair Bourne, Tom Miller and Lou Potter, Chamba Mediaworks, Inc., Los Angeles
African Americans and Islam will examine the effects of 9/11 on the African-American community and its relationship with Muslims, both foreign and domestic.
Behind the Veil in Iran: The Pink Revolution
Elena Mannes and Dina Hossain, Mannes Productions, Inc., New York
Best-selling author Azar Nafisi (Reading Lolita in Tehran) and author Azadeh Moaveni (Lipstick Jihad) will be among those featured in a film that explores the potent and changing roles of women in Iran, showing how women are central to democratic reform in the country.
By All Means Necessary
Sherry Jones and Christina Lowery, Washington, D.C.
By All Means Necessary will critically examine how the implementation of the so-called Bush Doctrine has alienated traditional American allies, tarnished America's image abroad and possibly made the world more dangerous.
The Case for War
Phil Craig and Brian Lapping, Brook Lapping Productions, London
The Case for War will follow former Defense Department Assistant Secretary in the Reagan Administration, Richard Perle, to various places around the world as he articulates the neoconservative case for an assertive American foreign policy, interventionist when necessary, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
Citizen Soldiers
Calvin Skaggs, Lumiere Productions, New York
Citizen Soldiers will explore the ways in which the war on terror has stretched the U.S. military and required Army reservists to be called into active duty for extended tours of service. The film will follow members of an Army Reserve unit through its deployment and return home to examine the demands on US armed forces and consider the need for change.
Indonesia: Battleground for the Soul of Islam
Kenneth Levis and Calvin Sims, New York Times, New York
Indonesia: Battleground for the Soul of Islam will explore Indonesia's long history of moderation in its practice of Islam, and show how Islamist radicals have made the country a flash point in the global war on terror. The filmmakers will get an inside look at how this fledgling democracy, with its moderate Muslim majority, is struggling to control the rise of religious extremism. The proposed film will show that how Islam in Indonesia is markedly different from that in the Middle East. What emerges is a potential model for Muslim democracy, if Indonesia can succeed in containing the terrorist threat.
Our Turn at the Mic: Muslim-American Comedians Come of Age
Glenn Baker, Azimuth Media, Washington, D.C.
Our Turn at the Mic: Muslim-American Comedians Come of Age will explore the emergence of Muslim- and Arab-American comedians after 911, showing how they use their humor to take on stereotypes about Middle Easterners and terrorism. The proposed film will chronicle their humor, and the way it has been shaped by the everyday tribulations of their lives.
Soldiers of the Future
Stephen Ives, Insignia Films, New York
Soldiers of the Future will tell the story of Donald Rumsfeld's recent efforts to transform America's military. The film will explore the new military doctrines in the war on terror, and will illuminate the ways in which changing strategies have altered the experience and the expectations of the American soldier.
The Sound of the Guns
Carl Colby, Colby Films, Inc., Washington, D.C.
The Sound of the Guns will examine the evolution of U.S. counterinsurgency policy through the life of one of its principal architects, former CIA Director William E. Colby. The film, produced by the late director's son, will trace how policies developed by OSS in WWII and the Phoenix Program in Vietnam are being applied in Afghanistan, Iraq and the global War on Terror.
Studying Hatred
Peter Collier and Dan Gagliasso, Argus Productions, Nevada City, CA
Studying Hatred will the examine if and how the 9/11 attacks have created new anti-Semitism on college campuses.
Warriors
Karl Zinsmeister, Washington, D.C., Ed Robbins, New York, and Christian Galdabini, Arlington, Virginia
Warriors will profile the men and women who serve in the all-volunteer Army. Producer Karl Zinsmeister reports that, contrary to conventional wisdom, the military is not predominantly populated by the poor and uneducated, but attracts a cross-section of citizens motivated by idealism and patriotism.
Note: All titles are working titles.
Contact CPB
For questions about the Crossroads initiative, please send an e-mail to crossroads@cpb.org. Check this page for the latest updates and project status information.