Although the tradition of the adhan dates back to the seventh century, recordings are limited and contain no pertinent information for future generations, which is often the case with verbal traditions. The adhan, or call to prayer, is recited by a muezzin from the minaret of a mosque five times a day in Cairo, summoning Muslims to prayer. One muezzin begins the call, another joins several seconds later from a neighboring mosque, and then another, until the echoing of their diverse voices envelops the eighty-three square mile city. This a cappella harmony creates an overwhelming wave of sound which hushes and transforms the chaotic cacophony of the streets of Cairo.

The aim of this project is to document the muezzins of this generation, to record the adhans they recite and the impact this tradition has had and continues to have on the general population of Cairo. The process will include interviewing a number of people including, but not limited to muezzins. This includes shop owners, business professionals, artists, and tourists. The adhans will also be recorded and the call to prayer experienced live will be recreated through the film. On Look Films is interested in presenting the magic and beauty of Cairo and in creating an anthropological portrait of a tradition through the eyes of our time.

On Look Films is grateful to have a dedicated team of professionals committed to realizing Voices and Faces of the Adhan: Cairo.

Each of us at On Look Films has an unprecedented drive, enthusiasm, and commitment in our respective communities. We have always been interested in cultural issues that have a hold on the world at large. We have a love for humanity and an unshakeable dedication to cultural issues. As a reflection of our commitment to dialogue and understanding within cultural diversity, it should be noted that the structure of our team is a reflection of just that. Two of us are from the former Soviet Union, one from Brazil, another Iran, and another from Israel. As we continue to develop creatively, each of us remains keenly focused on transcending cultural barriers. All of us, as individuals, have created cross-cultural connections that have pierced boundaries inherent in the human condition. We believe uniting cultures can only occur when people put themselves on the line, past the fear that has been created by popular media.

There is a sense of urgency regarding the creation of Voices and Faces of the Adhan: Cairo. The project must be carried out now because the Egyptian government is moving to standardize the adhan in Cairo. Therefore, if the tradition of the adhan is to be documented at all, it must happen now.

In April 2006, the government approved a proposal to systemize the call to prayer with the Tawheed Al Adhan, or the Adhan Unification Project. Under this plan, one muezzin will recite the adhan and wireless receivers will be used to broadcast the same call throughout the city. As the Tawheed Al Adhan spreads through Egypt and the Arab world, it will lead not only to unemployment, but to the end of the fourteen-hundred year old tradition of the adhan. It is necessary to document and honor this tradition before it ceases to exist. We live in an era that sees many of its old traditions replaced by new, so called cleaner methods, especially when financial hardships promote a lenient eye towards the laying off of non-critical posts. In this case, the muezzins. Documenting fourteen-hundred years of compounded history is a milestone in human progress.

We plan for worldwide distribution of Voices and Faces of the Adhan: Cairo. With its premiere in the West, it will bring to light the culture of the Arab world in such a way that the humanity and heart of the Arab and Muslim people will be visible, causing the viewer to be moved in such a way that preconceived notions can dissipate. As the film premieres in the East, we hope to create an impact on the viewer by virtue that the film was created through the collaboration of young creatives from the West. Our intention is for a sense of global community to be felt on a human level, thereby making an impact in politics as well as the arts and humanities. Our goal is that this film will work as a cultural bridge and not simply an entertainment venture. Voices and Faces of the Adhan: Cairo has the power to transform global relations and heal the rift that has been created throughout the years between the East and the West, one viewer at a time.

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