Out of Cordoba: Averroes and Maimonides in Their Time and Ours

Video
2009
1h 20m

IMDb RATING

8.7/10

YOUR RATING

Out of Cordoba: Averroes and Maimonides in Their Time and Ours (2009)

OUT OF CORDOBA is a feature documentary about Jews, Muslims, and Christians struggling for coexistence and against the hijacking of their respective religions by extremists. The film profiles several contemporary people of faith, who, inspired by two Â“wise menÂ” from the city of Cordoba in medieval Spain Â— Averroes the Muslim, and Rabbi Moses Maimonides the Jew Â— are challenging the propositions that there is an inevitable Â“clash of civilizationsÂ” between the West and the Muslim world, an incompatibility between Islam and democracy, and an unsolvable conflict between Muslims and Jews. Out of Cordoba is also the story of the filmÂ’s director, Jacob Bender, an American Jew and peace activist, as he undertakes a journey around the Mediterranean world after the attacks of 9/11 Â— in Spain, Morocco, France, Egypt, Palestine, and Israel Â— following in the footsteps of these two Â“wise men of CordobaÂ” in search of Muslims, Jews, and Christians committed to utilizing their religious traditions as sources of tolerance, democracy, and human rights. Among the extraordinary people encountered by Jacob is a Muslim leader in Spain who declares a Â“fatwaÂ” against Osama bin Laden after the Al-Qaeda attacks at the Madrid train station, a rabbi in Israel who defends Palestinian homes against demolition by the Israeli army, Egyptian human rights activists attempting to democratize their country, and an art historian decoding the secrets of one of the most enigmatic of Renaissance paintings. The film explores the little-known but vast influence of Muslim thinkers upon the West, as well as presenting inspiring stories that have been often been neglected by the mainstream media in favor of a simplistic concentration on Muslim Â“terroristsÂ” and Â“fundamentalists.Â”

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Averroes and Maimonides, two wise men from the 10th century, as the inspiration to overcome today's challenges between cultures and religions, the so-called "clash of civilizations"Averroes and Maimonides, two wise men from the 10th century, as the inspiration to overcome today's challenges between cultures and religions, the so-called "clash of civilizations"Averroes and Maimonides, two wise men from the 10th century, as the inspiration to overcome today's challenges between cultures and religions, the so-called "clash of civilizations"

Director
- Jacob Bender
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.7/10

YOUR RATING

Director
- Jacob Bender
Stars

2User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination total

Videos1

Trailer 8:26

Out of Cordoba: Averroes and Maimonides in Their Time and Ours

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Trivia
Film depicts how on 9/11 and the following days director Jacob Bender, who lives in NYC and suffer the consequences of the terrorists attacks, found the inspiration and need to assume this project. His Upper West Manhattan Synagogue served that afternoon as a gathering place for all kinds of people, praying or just meeting and greeting. To reject the imposition of a so-called clash of civilizations motivated Bender to start the project.

Alternate versions
Mini-series 2 x 52 min additionally edited for Canal Sur TV with further Andalusian stuff and interviews

Connections
References Destiny (1997)

User reviews2

Review

Featured review

4/10

not really about Averroes and Maimonides

I went to see this movie and expecting what the title said: a movie about Maimonides and Averroes. The first half was Great! Documentary showing the parallels the two Cordoba-born important figures. The only thing that bothered me a little bit was too many shots of the writer/director.

However, the second half was not about good to doctors. It was a more political movie, dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is not what I was interested in at all. I thought it was bait and switch. I must confess my bias: I have never seen an unbiased discussion about the subject, especially because it is hard to know all the facts. In particular, I believe it to be impossible in 30 minutes.