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Secrets of Mary Magdalene Press KitSecrets of Mary Magdalene Press Book (download .pdf)
Press Releases New from the team behind Secrets of Angels, Demons & Masons KOCH Vision Presents:
Dan Burstein's Secrets Of Mary Magdalene
Revealing two-program DVD from Hidden Treasures debuts September 5, 2006 and hits stores simultaneously with new non-fiction book of the same title
PORT WASHINGTON, NY (July 14, 2006)-- This September, KOCH Vision will bring to home viewing audiences Secrets Of Mary Magdalene, a revealing two-program DVD from Hidden Treasures Productions, providing the most up-to-date information on one of the world's most controversial religious figures. Secrets Of Mary Magdalene is timed to hit stores simultaneously with the non-fiction book of the same title, by Dan Burstein and Arne de Keijzer, who have been responsible for the enormously popular New York Times best-sellers Secrets of the Code and Secrets of Angels & Demons.
Secrets Of Mary Magdalene takes an all-encompassing look at the woman who lies at the heart of the controversy surrounding Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and Kathleen McGowan's highly-anticipated upcoming novel The Expected One. Shot at many historic locations around the world and also featuring a special Mary Magdalene Roundtable, which brings together many of the leading experts to discuss and debate the issues, Secrets Of Mary Magdalene will be available on DVD September 5, 2006 for a suggested retail price of $19.98.
Mary Magdalene - a sinner and prostitute, or the secret wife of Jesus and leader of his church? Program One of the DVD, Secrets Of Mary Magdalene, strips away the veils of history to reveal the flesh and blood woman who served as Jesus' foremost apostle and possibly the love of his life. This stunning documentary special, shot in Hi-Def and based on Dan Burstein and Arne de Keijzer upcoming non-fiction book, examines Mary Magdalene's role in early Christianity and how her significance may have been deliberately suppressed, and her image tarnished, to serve the purposes of an evolving Church. It goes on to explore the recent discovery of the Gnostic Gospels and their revelations as well as examining how for many modern women, Mary Magdalene has become a symbol of the sacred feminine.
Mary Magdalene's place in the story of Christianity is a topic that invites interpretation and inspires debate for believers and non-believers alike. Program Two of the DVD, A Mary Magdalene Roundtable: The Experts Speak, brings together six leading experts to discuss thought-provoking issues surrounding this remarkable woman. Together they debate the tradition of Mary Magdalene as fallen woman and how she is emerging from that legacy to become a spiritual and philosophical role model for the 21st century. Participants include lecturer and writer Diane Apostolos-Cappadona, adjunct professor in the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding; Lesa Bellevie, founder of Magdalene.org and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Mary Magdalene; Deidre Good, professor at the General Theological Seminary and publisher of Mariam, the Magdalen, and the Mother; Susan Haskins, art and cultural historian and author of Mary Magdalen: Myth & Metaphor; Elaine Pagels, Harrington Spear Paine Professor of Religion at Princeton University and author of The Gnostic Gospels; and Dr. Jane Schaberg, professor of Religious Studies and Women's Studies and researcher on traditions and legends associated with the figure of Mary Magdalene. The roundtable is moderated by Dr. Katherine Kurs of The New School for Social Research.
In addition to the original trailer, the DVD bonus features for Secrets of Mary Magdalene include More Secrets Of Mary Magdalene - 30 minutes of additional interview footage that further explores topics from the documentary. Experts discuss Magdalene's possible founding role in early Christianity, her position as a new role model for the female priesthood, the early Gnostic view of Adam and Eve, The Song of Songs as well as the depiction of Mary Magdalene in renaissance art.
Secrets Of Mary Magdalene was directed by award-winning filmmaker Rob Fruchtman and narrated by Marisa Berenson. The film was produced by Hidden Treasures Productions, Inc. and Stuart B. Rekant served as Executive Producer.
CDS Book's upcoming release Secrets Of Mary Magdalene is the newest addition to the Secrets series, including the New York Times bestseller Secrets of the Code, created and edited by Dan Burstein and Arne J. de Keijzer. It brings together world class experts from different faiths, backgrounds, and perspectives, to discuss the most thought-provoking new ideas and original thinking about Mary Magdalene. The contributors include Elaine Pagels and Susan Haskins who are also featured in the DVD, Secrets Of Mary Magdalene. Never before has such a wide range of fascinating ideas and new scholarship about Mary Magdalene been collected in one book that is as timely and accessible.
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Hidden Treasures acquires rights to
"Secrets of Mary Magdalene" for new documentary
Path breaking new research and revelations from the team responsible for New York Times bestsellers,
“Secrets of the Code” and “Secrets of Angels & Demon”
New York, N.Y. February 7, 2006 --Hidden Treasures Productions, Inc. announced that it has acquired the rights to produce a documentary special based on upcoming non-fiction book, Secrets of Mary Magdalene, scheduled for publication in the fall of 2006 (CDS Books/Perseus Books Group).
“In many respects, Mary Magdalene is the heart and soul of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code,” said Dan Burstein, the editor of Secrets of the Code and the co-creator of the “Secrets” series of books. “But while millions of people have become interested in Mary Magdalene as a result of reading The Da Vinci Code - and tens of millions more will become interested as a result of The Da Vinci Code movie - there’s actually very little information about this fascinating historical character in Dan Brown’s novel. The more I learned about her researching Secrets of the Code, the more I realized she deserved her own study. She has an extraordinary meaning to people that goes far beyond her appearance in The Da Vinci Code.”
Secrets of Mary Magdalene will present new discoveries on the very different ways people have perceived Mary Magdalene over the last two thousand years. “We’ve learned that the so-called “bad girl” of the Bible is not at all what church history has made her out to be,” said Stuart B. Rekant, the film’s Executive Producer.
Secrets of Mary Magdalene will reveal the many new faces of Mary Magdalene with fresh observations and insights into one of history’s most complex and controversial figures. The production commenced last month in New York with the gathering of some of the most well-known experts on different facets of Mary Magdalene and her role in early Christianity, including: Elaine Pagels, a Princeton historian who is author of the bestsellers, The Gnostic Gospels and Beyond Belief, Lesa Bellevie, author of The Idiot’s Guide to Mary Magdalene; and Deirdre Good, author of Mariam, the Magdalen and the Mother.
Hidden Treasures’ prior documentary in collaboration with the Secrets team Secrets of Angels, Demons & Masons, is based on Dan Burstein and Arne de Keijzer’s best-selling book, Secrets of Angels & Demons, and is now available on VOD and DVD. This two- part documentary investigates the Illuminati and the Freemasons, two mysterious organizations central to Dan Brown’s novel Angels & Demons as well as his upcoming sequel to The Da Vinci Code.
About the “Secrets” team: Secrets of Mary Magdalene is the latest in the "Secrets" series of humanistic, multi-perspective books created by Dan Burstein and Arne de Keijzer and their company, Squibnocket Partners LLC. The three earlier books, Secrets of the Code, Secrets of Angels & Demons, and Secrets of the Widow’s Son, are New York Times and international bestsellers. These titles are approaching three million copies in print worldwide. A brand new, updated paperback edition of Secrets of the Code, the essential reader's guide to The Da Vinci Code book and movie, will be published in March by CDS Books/Perseus Books Group. Secrets of Mary Magdalene features interviews and commentary from many of the world’s leading experts on the new scholarship surrounding Mary Magdalene. These experts include Elaine Pagels, Deirdre Good, Susan Haskins, Margaret Starbird, Lesa Bellevie, Jane Schaberg, Diane
Apostolos-Cappadona, and many others.
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KOCH Vision Presents Dan Burstein's
Secrets of Angels, Demons & Masons
Coming to DVD October 4, 2005
Wednesday September 21, 11:22 am ET
A Must-Have Companion to the Novels of Dan Brown, Best-Selling Author of The Da Vinci Code
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- This October, KOCH Vision will bring to DVD Secrets of Angels, Demons & Masons, a must-have companion to the novels of Dan Brown. Based on Dan Burstein and Arne de Keijzer's best- selling book, Secrets of Angels & Demons, this two-part documentary investigates the Illuminati and the Freemasons, two mysterious organizations central to Dan Brown's novel Angels & Demons and his upcoming sequel to The Da Vinci Code. Secrets of Angels, Demons & Masons will be available in stores on October 4 for a suggested retail price of $19.98.
Produced by Hidden Treasures Productions, narrated by Tony Award-winning actor John Cullum and featuring the research of Dan Burstein and the Secrets team, Secrets of Angels, Demons & Masons is the definitive guide to discovering where fact and fiction merge and diverge in Dan Brown novels. Interweaving evocative archives and related commentary by world-renowned experts, the documentary takes the viewer on a suspenseful journey from baroque Rome to historic Washington DC. Part One, Secrets of Angels & Demons, explores the mysterious Illuminati, the intrigues of the Vatican and the age old conflict between science and religion. Part Two, Secrets of Masons, uncovers the secrets of Freemasonry, its hidden past and its surprising role in the founding of America.
Secrets of Angels, Demons & Masons bonus DVD features include 20 minutes of additional interview footage that provides further exploration of topics covered in the documentary. Experts discuss the Dan Brown phenomenon, why Dan Brown's novels are so popular, and why he is able to capture the interest of such a large group of people. They also delve into the popularity of conspiracy theories and the longstanding tension between science and religion that captures the interest of both Dan Brown and the public at large. Details about Secrets of Angels, Demons & Masons and additional information can be found at http://www.angelsdemonsmasons.com.
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Hollywood Reporter Review
Dec. 05, 2003
Trust Me
By Ray Richmond
10-11 p.m., Tuesday Dec. 9
Showtime
Blend 1960s idealism with new millennium realities and you have Showtime's "Trust Me," a sweet and sometimes moving documentary that follows the experiences of a group of summer campers of different faiths who are asked to show understanding and tolerance of one another in the wake of Sept. 11. What's particularly notable isn't so much the experiment itself but the fact that the docu captures kids acting simply like kids at any other summer camp -- behaving alternately engaged, energetic, tentative and homesick. That this is played out in an environment patrolled by an armed sheriff's deputy tells us that this ain't your grandpappy's camping experience, however.
The film from Rob Fruchtman (who is credited as "filmmaker" but not "director" for some reason) traces the weeklong experiences of 33 boys ages 9-13 as they gather for a weeklong stay at Elk Shoals Interfaith Camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in July 2002, while post-Sept. 11 hostilities continued to simmer. It was billed as a tri-faith event on the grounds of this Methodist camp: 11 Christians, 10 Jews and 12 Muslims, all of them looking to simultaneously embrace one another's differences and ignore them while also just having a normal good time. The hope was that if young people can accept one another's unique physical attributes and religious followings at this age, maybe, just maybe, they can grow up to be understanding, color-blind adults.
Time will tell, of course. In the meantime, this film documents things in a heartwarming fashion that mostly steers clear of contrived sentiment. Fruchtman and producers Stuart B. Rekant and Cheryl Miller Houser allow the cameras to capture the week unencumbered by any attempt to commandeer the story line. We see homesick kids in tears, kids swimming, kids hiking and bowling and roasting kosher hot dogs over a campfire. The lens captures Muslim kids praying, the Jewish kids holding a traditional Sabbath and the Christian boys honoring God in their way.
What's most miraculous perhaps isn't that the kids appear to get on so famously in "Trust Me"; it's that a rabbi, a reverend and the president of the executive committee of the Islamic Center in Greensboro, N.C., could agree to share the same space for seven days without resorting to back-stabbing, dogma or the desire to inject a bit of distinctive fire and brimstone.
Cynicism aside, there is an inspiring element at work here that in the wake of Sept. 11 can't be ignored. That we still need to film a camping experience like this and hold it up as experiments is a little bit sad. One might have hoped that by the early part of the 21st century, it wouldn't be so revolutionary to have Muslim kids interacting with Christians and Jews. But the events of 27 months ago obviously changed the equation for at least the foreseeable future, and this nicely constructed hour accomplishes its goal of providing a glimmer of hope in a racial environment that remains stark indeed.
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LA Times Review
January 20, 2004
JUST CALL HIM THE BASS SAMURAI
Samurai Sportsman; Outdoor Life Network; Jan. 31, 9:30 p.m.
Forget about the recent Tom Cruise East-meets-West big budget epic. The more relevant cultural cross-pollination occurs in "Samurai Sportsman." Here Yoshi Amao, a modern-day samurai, meets up with a series of American outdoor sports mavens in his quest to become a master of the outdoors.
In the first episode, Yoshi yearns to master the art of fishing and teams up with Outdoor Life Network regular Bill Dance.
After a few cursory lessons, they set out in search of bass. When the fishing is slow, Yoshi breaks into a samurai fish dance, while his sidekick cuts loose with a West Tennessee two-step for luck. The hoofing quickly pays off as Yoshi hooks up and becomes one with the fish. A catch-and-release ceremony follows.
Don't expect a lot of highly usable information here, grasshopper. Instead, you'll find a unique half-hour curio that combines charm and goofiness in an effort more enjoyable than the vast majority of mainstream programming.
— Michael Koehn
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