Next on POV: The U.S. broadcast premiere of Julia Meltzer and Laura Nix’s The Light In Her Eyes, a documentary chronicling Houda al-Habash, a conservative woman preacher in Damascus, Syria, who calls girls to the practice of Islam, teaching them that pursuing their ambitions is a way of worshipping God.
Watch it now on your iPhone or iPad, or watch it on PBS stations starting this Thursday, July 19, 2012. Check your local listings ».
Houda al-Habash, a conservative Muslim preacher, founded a Qur’an school for girls in Damascus, Syria, 30 years ago. Every summer, her female students immerse themselves in a rigorous study of Islam. A surprising cultural shift is underway — women are claiming space within the mosque. Shot right before the uprising in Syria erupted, The Light In Her Eyes offers an extraordinary portrait of a leader who challenges the women of her community to live according to Islam, without giving up their dreams.
View the trailer for the documentary The Light In Her Eyes.
U.S. Broadcast Premiere: Thursday, July 19, 2012, on POV.
Whether you watch the film on your mobile device, on our website or on television, visit POV’s The Light In Her Eyes companion site for more interactive features…
- Watch additional video, including a short story about Riham, a young Syrian women who aspires to become a pediatrician, though education beyond high school is against her family’s customs.
- Watch an extended interview in which the filmmakers discuss their own misconceptions and how they were able to gain access to the characters of The Light In Her Eyes.
- Ask the filmmakers: Join an online conversation with Julia Meltzer and Laura Nix about making films in the Middle East.
- Read an essay by Syrian film scholar Cécile Boëx about how The Light In Her Eyes shatters stereotypes about Islam.
- Find out what’s happened to Houda and her family since the Syrian uprising, which began soon after the events of the film.
What’s your point of view? Share your reactions on the POV companion site for The Light In Her Eyes, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Did you know? Many POV films are available free to stream online and on mobile devices. Visit POV’s Watch Video page or download the PBS mobile app for iPhone or iPad, and see which films are available today!