Cineforum Interviews

Its been interesting being involved in the meetings preparing for this event. I'm looking forward to conducting two interviews in particular; the first, a conversation with Sadiq Kahn, former human rights solicitor and now Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. He's relatively young and fresh.

The second is with an imam whom I don't have to call 'Imam Sahib.' I have met many mullahs and religious clerics in my time but Dr Taj Hargey, who will be on my panel at Cineforum, is quite outspoken, more entertaining than most, and has an interesting take on Islam. He divides it into Western and Eastern systems, being a product of a multigenerational South African family. He is Chair of the Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford, he doesn't wear a beard, and calls Britain, 'Home.' He arranged for Professor Amina Wadud, a female imam, to visit the UK from America in October 2008 and lead mixed-gender Friday congregational prayers in the UK, a first for these shores.

To the best of my knowledge, there have been two Cinefora previously, one in California and one in Italy, but this is the first of its kind in the UK.