Innocence of Muslims - The True Power Of Film-Making

that has popped up on Youtube called "Innocence of Muslims". The video is a trailer for a poorly-made film that depicts the Prophet Muhammad as a gay, pedophile murderer and has sent shockwaves across the globe. There have been mass protests in Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Sudan and other countries in North Africa and Asia, leading to five deaths. Politicians have lined up to call the video "reprehensible" and "awful". In Islamic culture, it is wrong to depict Muhammad in any manner, let alone a dubbed film where he orders his followers to rape and kill children. It would be moronic in any culture to have a film that involves the raping and killing of children, especially when it is portrayed in such a cheap, tacky and deliberately offensive way. For those in the Middle East, "Innocence of Muslims" has been seen as an attack of Islam by the West. However for those of us in the western world, this perhaps serves as a reminder about the power of film-making. Yes, the film was always going to provoke an incendiary reaction because of its subject matter, but it would not perhaps have garnered such angry protest if it had been a book or a comic strip (see the Danish cartoon in 2005). Film has the power to entertain and thrill, but it also has the potential to cause controversy and stir debate. Some films are intended to be shocking or grotesque to achieve notoriety (e.g. the Human Centipede or A Serbian Film) whereas others tackle subjects that might not sit too well with the audience; issues such as abortion, rape, abuse or addiction. People often forget how effective film can be, when tackling social issues or in today's instance, causing a controversial storm. As I write this, the protests in the Middle East have evolved from anger at the "Innocence of Muslims" to widespread disillusionment with America and the West as a whole. But there is no doubt in anyone's mind that the film was the trigger for mass protest and the loss of human life. And so we need to perhaps realise the power that film possesses - I usually regard a film as popcorn face-mashing entertainment but on days like today, it is a humble reminder that film really impact on people's lives.