Posted: Thursday, July 29, 2010 10:07 am

Hollywood filmmaker Eric Allen Bell has begun production on a full-length documentary about the building of a new Islamic Center in Murfreesboro and the local backlash surrounding it.

"A chilling wave of anti-Islamic sentiment is sweeping the country and seems to be hitting Murfreesboro especially hard," Bell said.
"What this documentary seeks to do is to learn more about the fears, concerns and objections people have and to discern fact from speculation."

The documentary chronicles events unfolding as the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro announced their plans to expand to a 52,000 square foot facility on Veals Road.  Footage shows subsequent vandalism, death threats as well as religious and political backlash, including protesters parading down Main Street to sign a 20,000 person petition to halt construction of the mosque.

"My feeling is that a lot of the people I have interviewed have a number of legitimate concerns.  What is troubling to me is when these concerns get treated as facts and become the basis for religious intolerance," Bell said.  "Clearly there is radical Islam in the world.  Clearly there are oppressive regimes, theocracies, violent militant groups and even sleeper cells right here in America.  But is it fair to lump the Islamic community in Murfreesboro in with them?  Separating fear from facts is what this documentary is about."

The filmmaker has met with officials from the Mosque as well as Kevin Fisher, the man who organized the July 14 march to stop its construction.  Footage shot thus far includes the first town meeting where residents expressed their grievances concerning the new Islamic Center as well as the rally and counter-protest.  Bell has interviewed the founding members of Middle Tennesseans for Religious Freedom as well those who held signs during the parade against the Islamic Center.  He has spoken to many members of the community, including longtime residents, college students, Muslims, former Muslims, Christians, non-believers and church officials who have been outspoken on the issue.  He is seeking Murfreesboro residents who are willing to come forward and talk on or off camera.

Bell has worked in the motion picture industry since 1990.  His directorial debut, The Bondage premiered at the South By South West Film Festival, was the result of a bidding war and was sold for theatrical distribution.  Prior to that his short comedy Missing Sock was placed on the prestigious ?Top 10 Short Films? list by Film Threat Magazine.  Bell has been hired by studios and production entities as a script doctor adapting novels, rewriting dialogue and consulting on two other documentaries.  Bell is also founder of Global One TV the world's first 24 hour online spiritual television network.

Bell moved to Murfreesboro two years ago seeking a second home away from the aggressive pace of the Hollywood scene. 

"I love Murfreesboro," Bell said. "This is a quiet and friendly town unlike any place I have known.  People have always been warm and welcoming and I hate seeing what this polarizing issue is doing to an otherwise peaceful community"