Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern

1995     84 min.     Color: 16 or 35 mm, all video formats     English

A film by Jeanne Jordan and Steve Ascher (West City Films)

Festivals & Awards

Academy Award, 1996 Nominee – Best Feature Documentary
Sundance Film Festival, 1996 Grand Jury Prize & Audience Award
San Francisco International Film Festival, 1996 Audience Award
Sydney International Film Festival,1996 Audience Award
Prix Italia for Television, 1996 Special Prize, Documentary

Two years after the 9/11 attacks, Zia Rahman went before the zoning board in his hometown of Voorhees, New Jersey. He had applied to build a mosque on the site of a derelict building he was ready to purchase. A storm of controversy erupted, along with rumors the mosque would attract extremists and terrorists. As the opposition mounted, a local environmental activist spoke in support of Rahman’s plans and gathered together her neighbors. They formed the Coalition for a Multi-faith Democracy and now that the mosque has been built, continue their work by building interfaith bridges in the community.