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award-winning production experience have taken him to more than 140 countries
worldwide, yielding more than 100 documentary, travel-adventure programs and movies.
In September 2014, Marlin was honored with a Knighthood in the Royal House of
Portugal, presented by His Royal Highness Dom Duarte Pio. This was in recognition for
Marlin’s extensive worldwide educational and charitable film productions
Marlin’s international shots have been aired on programs appearing on all the major
television networks, including PBS, History Channel and Discovery Channel. His twenty 90-minute geo-travellectures and features have been presented to audiences in more than 100 theatersand auditoriums across America, including venues such as the Harvard Club and the
Philadelphia Geographical Society.
Recently a two-hour documentary Marlin shot and directed in Egypt was screened at the
Cairo Opera House to an audience of 3000 guests.
National Geographic represents and markets thousands of Darrah’s best worldwide shots.
Marlin also wrote, directed and produced an acclaimed 90-minute dramatic feature film,
“Monsoon Wife,” in Cambodia – the first American movie shot entirely in that SE Asian
country since “Lord Jim.” Universal Studios acquired Marlin’s movie and television
rights have been sold to more than a dozen countries. His most recent movies are the suspense-thriller "Amazon Queen," shot entirely in the Brazil in 2021; and the suspense-thriller "An Egypt Affair," shot entirely in Egypt in 2022. Both of these recent pictures are currently in distribution worldwide.
Marlin’s productions have screened and won top awards at more than 110 national and
international film festivals from Rome to Rio and New York to Los Angeles. As presented by
his fellow travel producers and peers, Marlin recently received the Travel Adventure
Cinema Magazine’s "Bertrand Holmes Award" for best travel film showcase.
A producer at National Geographic recently said this about Marlin. “If I could trade eyeballs
with anyone in the world, it would be Marlin. He has seen more of our world than
anyone I have ever met, and that includes hard-core travelers at National Geographic,
who are a dime a dozen. He lives the life I can only dream of.”
Ratings
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Reviews
In the Shadow of Bin Laden (2004)
A timely and fascinating documentary. Well worth trying to find this DVD.
I was very impressed with this documentary. I saw this program at a film festival in Oregon last year. For me and others in the audience, it was eye-opening to see what life is like for people living in the hard-scrabble villages on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. I had no idea that these people, famous for their ferocity and warlike nature, are also incredibly hospitable to strangers as well. I had thought the Taliban had smothered these people with their horrible religious dogma, making them fundamentalist Islamic robots, but the program shows many normal Muslim villagers who still live with a welcoming spirit to outsiders, without hate, and without trying to convert people to Islam at the end of a gun.
One of the most interesting comments I heard in the documentary was from a village barber, who said that it is a blood law that he (and everyone else there) must welcome a stranger into their village, no matter if it is an American or bin Laden. He said everyone who comes peacefully to his door, must be shown the same help and hospitality. It was his duty. There was a part in the documentary showing a small school attended by village kids, learning in a way that was similar to how American kids learn - with textbooks and pencils - learning their local language as well as English. And it wasn't a religious school, thankfully. That gave me some hope for the future.
A welcome perspective on a little-understood and rarely visited part of the world. I recommend this program to everyone who has an interest in what's going on at the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan - the fascinating life of people living behind the headline news.