BBC | Sacred Wonders

In Mali, a young Muslim helps to renovate Djenne’s Great Mosque, in the hope of earning a place in paradise. And in Lalish in Iraq a young Yazedi woman goes in search of salvation after being traumatised in the recent conflict. Discover what people do for faith in some of the most sacred places on the planet.

I was part of the team that filmed the Creppisage of the Grand Mosque in Djenne, Mali, where 10000 people race to replaster the walls and roof of the largest mud building in the world in a single crazy day, and the return of a Yazidi woman to the holy temple of Lalish in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. After escaping Daesh and subsequently seeking refuge in Europe, Ivana's return to a sacred Yazidi temple was both personal and moving and required very careful filming.

Both places required Hostile Environment training beforehand due to various security risks such as kidnapping, large crowds and small arms. But apart from witnessing some 'lax' weapons handling, and thanks to ours local security and driving teams, we were able to enjoy the best of the local hospitality, make our on screen heroes comfortable and capture some unique and intimate scenes for this incredible series.