Recruiting for Jihad

Filmmakers Ulrik Imtiaz Rolfsen and Adil Khan Farooq followed the well-known Islamist missionary Ubaydullah Hussain for three years. A charismatic and intelligent man, he is also a recruiter with ties to ISIS who acts as the spokesperson for The Prophet's Ummah, a Salafi-jihadist organization in Norway. Hussain is more than happy to share his views and practices with the camera, offering unparalleled insight into the life of an extremist. At first presenting himself as rational, open-minded and tolerant, Hussain's ideological contradictions and prejudices are slowly revealed in this compelling and eye-opening exposé. The stakes get even higher as people we see Hussain recruiting become linked to terrorist acts. Eventually the documentary footage is seized by police as evidence, leading to a court case that also raises questions about freedom of the press. Recruiting for Jihad is an essential and groundbreaking piece of investigative filmmaking. (Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival)