THE MOSQUE IN MORGANTOWN (2009)

When Muslim writer and activist Asra Nomani returns to her hometown mosque in West Virginia in the wake of 9/11, she believes she sees signs of trouble: exclusion of women, intolerance toward non-believers, suspicion of the West. Her resulting campaign for change alienates would-be allies in the mosque, leading many to wonder who most deserves the label of “extremist.” It isn’t long before members put forward a petition to expel her from the Islamic Center of Morgantown. As Asra takes an increasingly different path from the community’s moderates – marching on the mosque, posting a manifesto on its door, storming out of a community meeting and challenging a visiting sheik about domestic violence – the film provides a rare look at the real controversies that can divide a Muslim community.