Jerusalem 3D

DOCUMENTARY: 'Jerusalem 3D' zooms in on power of ancient city with Imax intensity (Susan King, L.A. Times). Excerpt:

The story of Jerusalem is seen through the eyes of three teenage girls — one Christian, one Jewish and one Muslim — and their families. Archaeologist Jodi Magness guides viewers through the rich history of the city. The 45-minute documentary also visits such religious sites as the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Shot over three years, producer Davies said, "Jerusalem 3D" is a film "that shouldn't have happened by all accounts. In the land of miracles, it was a miracle."

Writer-director Daniel Ferguson called it "an epic production."

"I was initially terrified of cramming 5,000 years of human attachment to this place in 45 minutes, and, obviously, the political minefield of this place," Ferguson said. "It was sheer folly. I made my first trip in 2009. I made 14 trips, and 11 of those were just to get permission and gain trust. I ended up being enamored of the city."

The film opened yesterday at the California Science Center in Los Angeles along with with the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition.