Koran By Heart

Koran recitation, the subject of this documentary, may not, at first glance, seem like the most scintillating subject for a film. Yet in director Greg Barker’s (Mountainfilm 2009, Sergio) capable hands it is a compelling one. He follows an annual competition that takes place during Ramadan in Cairo, Egypt where kids vie to see who can best memorize–and recite–the Koran, a revered tradition in Islam. It is high-pressure and the children, representing countries as far away as the Maldives and Tajikistan, are focused but nervous–and for good reason. Some contestants are as young as seven and go up against kids twice their age, while others don’t even speak Arabic.