There are all sorts of gay-themed films released but very few of them concentrate on queer Muslims. However the upcoming indie Naz + Maalik take that on, while exploring stereotypes and the pressures put on young Muslim men. The film has already been shot, but it’s now looking for funding on Kickstarter to get it completed and into film festivals.
Here’s the synopsis: ‘A decade into the War on Terror, two first-generation Muslim teens – friends, classmates, business partners, lovers – spend their Friday hustling the streets of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. While deciding whether to tell their community about their homosexuality, Naz and Maalik’s ambiguous and secretive relationship unknowingly sets an FBI agent on their trail. As the agent grows convinced that the boys are engaged in “violent radicalism,” her pursuit becomes increasingly menacing and the stakes surrounding the boys’ hapless hustling and lies grow. What began as a struggle to protect their sexual identities evolves into a crisis much larger – a fight to stay alive.’
The film was inspired by interviews director Jay Dockendorf’s conducted after being appalled by FBI and police tactics following 9/11. He did indeed find that one couple’s secret relationship was enough to get the authorities investigating them.
The director commented to HuffPo, “The film considers Islamophobia through the lens of homophobia and homophobia through the lens of racism. I know they’re very separate issues, but for some people, real people on whom these characters are based, they’re completely linked and the balance is delicate. ”
If you’d like to help out, head over to Kickstarter.
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