Karbala, in Iraq, is the site of the murder and butchering of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson in 680 A.D., a holy place for Shia Muslims, and the destination of a busload of pilgrims from Iran—merchants, carpenters, teachers, schoolchildren—in this remarkable Wide Angle documentary from Kevin Sim. In five days, we revisit the revolution that deposed the shah and the Iran-Iraq war, eavesdrop on expressions of devout faith and blood-curdling anti-American rhetoric, glimpse shrines of breathtaking beauty, and learn more about Shia-Sunni fratricide than any of our newspapers have told us.

Channel 13
Monday, March 26, 10 p.m.

Related:

• Archive: “Television”
• Articles by John Leonard
• Table of Contents: Mar 26, 2007 issue of New York | Subscribe!