Film Festivals: May 2008 Archives

Add this to your must-see summer movie list: A Jihad for Love is a moving documentary about gay and lesbian Muslims. Shot over five years in 12 countries, Muslim gay filmmaker Parvez Sharma explores the world's fastest growing religion to discover stories of those reconciling faith with sexuality in societies where "debauchery" can be punished by imprisonment and even death. The film premieres Wednesday in New York City at the IFC Center before it begins a staggered rollout across the country during the coming months.

Produced by Sharma and Sandi DuBowski (director of the award-winning Trembling Before G-d), A Jihad for Love embodies the literal meaning of jihad as "inner struggle," and the film's subjects reveal the hopes of a community fighting for its place in the heart of Islam. To be gay and Muslim is dangerous, but also not new, says Sharma: "Homosexuality has existed in Islam for 1,428 years. Men have been with men, and women have been with women, and that's just the way it is."

If the Muslim faith does not accept gays, why do gays stay in the Muslim faith? "That's a question I ask every single person in this film," the director says. "I feel that in this film all the subjects are coming out as Muslims first, their sexual identities are actually secondary...We are Muslims first and our faith is profound and deep, and we have all consciously chosen to stay within the faith and to fight that battle of acceptance within the faith."

Sharma's blog features moving personal accounts, updates on the film and links to all the well-deserved press that he and his documentary are receiving. And check out this interview with the director here: