When you hear the words “The Middle East”, what images are conjured in your mind? Do you imagine unparalleled hospitality, dynamic people, breathtaking desert scenery and fascinating archeological sites dating back to the dawn of time? Or do you imagine instead terrorism, religious intolerance, and fanatical political figures?
In reality, the Middle East is a region of paradoxes. It is a land where people go out of their way to make a stranger feel at home, but it is also a land that throughout history has witnessed acts of unspeakable brutality between enemy tribes and clans.
This film represents a personal journey in words and images through several Middle Eastern countries including Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey and will include wonders such as Petra, Jerusalem, the Cedars of Lebanon, and Cappadocia.
About the filmmaker
Award-winning cinematographer, writer, editor and director Rick Ray has traveled the world to capture images of its peoples and cultures. He has produced numerous documentary films including the award-winning 10 Questions For The Dalai Lama, the highly regarded The Soul of India, Raise the Bamboo Curtain with Martin Sheen, and on regions as diverse as Syria, Namibia, Borneo, Lebanon, Iceland, Israel, and Bali and more.
Rick Ray is the founder and president of the web-based stock footage companies DVarchive.com and RetroFootage.org, and is a frequent lecturer at performing arts centers, universities and other venues across the United States.