Back from the Brink

Back from the Brink from ICRD on Vimeo.

If you'd like to skip to a specific section, start from below time:

Los Angeles 1:24
Pakistan 20:09
Lebanon 42:20

Back from the Brink is a feature-length documentary that showcases the efforts of three dissimilar communities around the world countering the spread and high toll of violent extremism. The film explores the complex worlds of Los Angeles gang members, Lebanese and Palestinian militias, and Pakistani militants. It also spotlights community and religious leaders and educators who are facilitating the rehabilitation of radicalized youth. Back from the Brink aims to demonstrate that violent extremism and its recruitment methodology and orthodoxy of hate do not pertain to a specific culture, religion, region or nation-state, and that effective methods used to help youth out of the cycle of violence are the same everywhere.

This educational documentary is a valuable teaching-tool for educators and parents in programs to counter violent extremism in diverse cultural contexts and for various ages. Back from the Brink was adopted by the King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue and the Security University of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia for use in their de-radicalization programs. In Pakistan, the Sindh Punjab Educational Foundation used the documentary for their teacher training workshops in interior Punjab and Baluchistan.

Back from the Brink is an International Center for Religion and Diplomacy (ICRD) production in association with Layalina Productions. It is executive produced by Leon Shahabian and Luke Stets and directed by Luke Stets.

Layalina and ICRD are currently seeking finishing funds to turn Back from the Brink into broadcast-ready, feature length documentary.

For more information, please contact us.