THE LIGHT IN HER EYES
Houda al-Habash, a conservative Muslim preacher, founded a Qur'an school for girls in Damascus, Syria when she was just 17 years old. Countering rigid cultural traditions and a repressive government, Houda encourages women and girls to pursue higher education and jobs, using Islam as a catalyst for change. In a world rarely seen, the story unfolds over three months of Houda's summer program, revealing why women are choosing Islam in a rapidly changing world.
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“Insight often lies outside of our comfort zones. The Light in Her Eyes manages to take us there, avoiding the bombastic polarization of so many Western takes on the Islamic world, forever looking for heroes or villains, and offering us, instead, an unembellished glimpse into the actual intricacies and contradictions of Muslim society."
- Film Comment, Joumane Chahine
"This film does not feed the polarized and tired debate between faith and modernity. Instead, it showcases why modern women are choosing to practice Islam in a rapidly changing society... a rare, and much needed, glimpse at the world through eyes of modern Muslim women."
- Foreign Policy in Focus, Nama Khalil
"A remarkable documentary…the first feature film to be made inside the women's side of a mosque in Syria."
Kamran Pasha, the Huffington Post
- Hammer to Nail, Matthew Delman