Tunisian Nacer Khemir, director of dramas and documentaries such as Bab'Aziz, Whispering Sands, Looking for Muhyiddin, and The Lost Necklace of the Dove, visited Üsküdar Üniversitesi Institute for Sufi Studies with his wife Nawara Khemir. During the visit, Khemir received information about the ongoing studies.
Khemir, who was honored with the “Necip Fazıl International Culture and Arts Award” within the scope of the 2023 Necip Fazıl Awards, visited Üsküdar Üniversitesi Institute for Sufi Studies with his wife Nawara Khemir while in Istanbul to attend the award ceremony.
Meeting with Üsküdar Üniversitesi Institute for Sufi Studies Director Prof. Dr. Elif Erhan and PhD students, Nacer Khemir received information about the Institute for Sufi Studies' postgraduate programs.
Khemir, who also inquired about the course procedures, engaged in discussions primarily concerning Sufi text analyses and the comprehension of Sufism's poetic and aesthetic dimensions. He was provided with information about the Sufi music studies conducted at the Institute and the postgraduate theses on 'dhikr' and sacred ceremonies in tradition.
Khemir was informed that Sufi literature, particularly poetry and music, are being studied within the scope of the project the institute is jointly conducting with Kyoto University. In addition to courses on classical Islamic arts such as calligraphy and illumination offered within the institute, art history seminars were also mentioned.
Master director Khemir, one of the foremost names in Tunisian cinema, possesses a filmography that prominently features Islamic Sufi thought, especially in response to the increasing Islamophobic tendencies worldwide after September 11.
Tracing the footsteps of Muhyiddin Ibnü'l-Arabî, one of the greatest figures in the Islamic intellectual tradition, with his 3-hour epic documentary Looking for Muhyiddin, Khemir embarks on a profound journey toward the spirit of Islam through Ibnü'l-Arabî's personal life.
One of his most renowned films, distinguished by its poetic narrative, Bab'Aziz, explores various facets of love through the journey of a grandfather and his grandson.
An event is planned with Khemir…
The Institute for Sufi Studies plans to organize a program on cinema and Sufism with Khemir in the coming days as part of a collaborative effort.