A Jihad for Love September 18, 2008

A JIHAD FOR LOVE

United States/United Kingdom/France/Germany/Australia, 2007
81 minutes
English/Arabic/Hindi/Persian/Urdu/French (English Subtitles)
Directed by Parvez Sharma

Islam is today the world’s second largest and fastest growing religion. Filmmaker Parvez Sharma travels the many worlds of this dynamic faith, discovering the stories of its most unlikely storytellers: lesbian and gay Muslims. Filmed over five years, in twelve countries and nine languages, A Jihad for Love explores the complex global intersections between Islam and homosexuality.

The international chorus of gay and lesbian Muslims in Sharma’s debut feature does not seek to vilify or reject Islam, but rather to negotiate a new relationship to it. Each interviewee has a vastly different personal take on Islam, some observing a rigorously orthodox regimen, others leading highly secular lifestyles while remaining spiritually devout. The camera attentively captures the stories of these gays and lesbians, giving the viewer an honest rendering of their lives while complicating our assumptions about a monolithic Muslim community.

Official Website: http://www.jcceastbay.org/jcc/arts_culture_film_Faith.htm