Ahmed al-Banna, son of Muslim Brotherhood (MB) founder Hassan al-Banna, has requested permission from the Egyptian Radio and Television Authority to broadcast a televised series he is currently producing on the life of his father.
The series, entitled "Hassan al-Banna: An Unfinished Journey" is being produced in response to another series on the same subject, written by scriptwriter Hassan Hamed and entitled "Al-Gamaa," which is being aired on Egyptian television throughout the month of Ramadan.
“The new series will depict the facts, which are unequivocal,” al-Banna said. “We must give viewers a chance to compare the two narratives.”
“Even though the 'Al-Gamaa' scriptwriter attempted to mar my father’s image, people nevertheless ended up sympathizing with the group against the regime,” he added. “The series has even helped boost sales of books written by brotherhood authors.”
According to script editor and leading MB member Mohsen Radi, production of the new series will begin next week in an undisclosed Arab country.
“It will include scenes omitted by Hamed–or censored by security services–including al-Banna's assassination and funeral,” Radi said, adding that the new series would concentrate on the group founder's strong personality, which, he believes, Hamed failed to portray. “The series will also show the group’s role in the 1948 war in Palestine,” he added.
He went on to describe "Al-Gamaa" as "a flop,” noting that the series had depicted the arrest of MB students without showing their subsequent release, thus betraying an obvious bias against the group on the part of the scriptwriter.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
