original  title: The Imam           
theme: Contemporary Stories - religion&society
genre:Docu-drama
length: 52’ or 5x25’ series,
format: DV cam PAL
Status: pre-production
Release: summer 2008
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Logline

Starting a new Islam. The true life of a Mosque in Naples.
The true life of a Mosque in Naples seen through the everyday experience of two Neapolitan converts.

Synopsis

At a time when Islam is being considered “public enemy number one” and a religion trapped in the past and closed upon itself, the documentary wants to challenge these views by showing an unexpected and fascinating overview of a Muslim community in Italy.
Agostino/ Yasin is an illuminated Muslim, with a 32 years Neapolitan soul, who wants to build within his mosque an area dedicated exclusively to women praying.
Massimo/Abdallah, more thoughtful and traditional, is an ex-Franciscan who converted to Islam. The protagonists are involved in the everyday activities of thel mosque, which has found itself at the centre of a judicial enquiry, two years ago, and has often ended up on the front pages of newspapers as an important logistic base for terrorists.
Drowned in a poor province and without perspectives, Agostino has been a teen-ager in search of redemption.  In his search he reaches Medina and through seven long years of studies he becomes Yasin, doctor in Sharia. This spiritual trip completely changed him, and He often recalls his experience through the most various anecdotes.
Yasin has set himself a difficult task: to bring a change to the mosque, to remove the prejudices and the negative reputation (due to a poor administration) that has been left by the previous Algerian Management Group. The changes start with opening the mosque to women. In fact, Yasin and Massimo decide to renovate the mosque through two main changes: the mosque’s main door and a new room for the women.
The two discusses with the women about these changes. Among them we distinguish Giovanna, a Polish girl that converted to Islam after a difficult marriage. She looks for a job and a dimension that will give her back some peace.

Giovanna is in trouble and cries: she has lost her job because she wears the veil and doesn’t have a place to stay. Suddenly the relationship between Yasin and Massimo cracks because of the different views due their