South Carolina ETV
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Dalai Lama Appears in New Documentary,
“Not in God’s Name”
Premiering on Public Television in Spring 2010
Documentary Addresses Question: “Why Do People Kill in the Name of God?”
For Immediate Release
January 28, 2010
Columbia, SC...The one-hour documentary “Not in God’s Name: In Search of Tolerance,” makes its world premiere on public television in the spring of 2010. The program is presented by South Carolina ETV and distributed nationally by NETA in Columbia, SC. Written, directed and produced by Paula Fouce and featuring the Dalai Lama, the film addresses the fundamental question "Why do people kill in the name of God?"
The program airs statewide Wednesday, April 7 at 10 p.m.
Today’s world is ravaged by divisions between faiths. At any given time there are fifty conflicts being fought around the world in the name of religion. And this number is rising. But the question remains: Why?
India, with a population of over one billion, is a microcosm of our world--a cradle of many of the world’s great religions. Normally eight faiths co-exist peacefully here in close quarters. Yet, at times, things go terribly wrong. Why are some religions unable to tolerate different beliefs and live in harmony with the people of those beliefs? What role do politics play in perpetuating discontent and religious prejudice? And why, even in the US, where the freedom of religion is considered a fundamental right of every person, do differing religious views cause deadly consequences?
Living in India and immersed in peacefulness while co-authoring SHIVA, a book on religion, Fouce’s life was threatened during an extreme act committed in the name of faith. Following the assassination of India's Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her own Sikh bodyguards in 1984, Fouce found herself trapped in a bus during a religious riot. The bus was stopped by Hindus who proceeded to pull off and murder Sikh riders in retribution. The area exploded and days of carnage followed.
Fouce's quest for answers to religious strife, and global violence committed in the name of God, brought her to leaders of the many religions in India including Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. Perhaps the most famous among these leaders is the Dalai Lama, who was recently awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his work promoting non-violence and harmony, and who considers his work of promoting religious tolerance as his most important commitment.
In his interview, the Dalai Lama recounts the causes and solutions to conflict in the name of God, and shares his insights into ways to break the tragic cycle of intolerance that has escalated, in some cases, to the point of nuclear confrontation.
Since time immemorial mankind has searched for something greater than itself, and many have found it through belief in a higher power. Not in God's Name takes a look at how religion, meant to be a source of great peace, is sometimes used to create division and strife by the politically motivated.
Not in God’s Name is the fourth film for Writer/Director/Producer Paula Fouce, whose previous films, Naked in Ashes, Origins of Yoga, and Song of the Dunes also address India’s faiths and culture. The film is produced by Fouce along with Academy nominated William Haugse (Hoop Dreams), Tim Kettle and Robert Perry. The Cinematography is by Neal Brown, Christopher Tufty and Jurg V. Walther. The film is edited by Ron Medico, Shirin Bazleh, Michael Chaskes, Susan R. Crutcher, William Haugse, Tim Kettle and Sherril Schlesinger. Executive producers are Polly Kosko, SCETV and Paula Fouce.
Photos and further information on the film can be found at: www.notingodsname.com.
About South Carolina ETV (SCETV):
South Carolina ETV is South Carolina’s statewide network with 11 television stations, and a closed-circuit educational telecommunications system in more than 2000 schools, colleges, businesses, and government agencies. SCETV brings non-commercial inspiring public television not only to the citizens of South Carolina, but through its national productions to the rest of the United States and the world. Recent presentations include Journey to Planet Earth: The State of the Planet’s Oceans, hosted by Matt Damon, (the only continuing environmental series on PBS), The Powder and the Glory, The Power of Forgiveness, Germans in America, and Uncorked! Wine Made Simple. Past productions include Making Schools Work with Hedrick Smith, and Global Warming: The Signs and the Science, hosted by Alanis Morissette. SCETV Radio produces Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz, NPR’s longest running performance program.
South Carolina ETV is the state's public educational broadcasting network with 11 television and eight radio transmitters, and a multi-media educational system in more than 2,500 schools, colleges, businesses and government agencies. Using television, radio and the web, SCETV's mission is to enrich lives by educating children, informing and connecting citizens, celebrating our culture and environment and instilling the joy of learning.
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For more information, contact Rob Schaller at (803) 737-6556 or rschaller@scetv.org.
Photos may be downloaded for the sole purpose of publicizing this program. To download an image, click on the picture below. A new Web page will open containing the hi-res version. Right click on the hi-res image, and select "Save As" or "Save Picture As."
Photo illustration by Jan Evans Bowman. A text-free version is also available by contacting Rob Schaller (contact information above).
The Dalai Lama. Photo credit: Don Farber
Photos may be downloaded for the sole purpose of publicizing this program. To download an image, click on the picture below. A new Web page will open containing the hi-res version. Right click on the hi-res image, and select "Save As" or "Save Picture As."
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