Parvez sharma 2015 filmmaker parvez sharma is both a devout muslim and gay. A sinner in mecca will go on cinema release in new york on friday but the story started almost four years ago. A sinner in mecca is sharmas selfdirected documentation of his struggle to reconcile his sexuality with his devout muslim beliefs and to. Filmmaker parvez sharma whose new film made by a gay muslim pilgrim offers a englishspeaking western audience a warts and all view of the annual pilgrimage to mecca in a documentary that has. Aug 28, 2015 with a sinner in mecca, parvez sharma puts his soul and more on the line exclusive clips and poster. A sinner in mecca documents gay muslim pilgrimage daily. The film was a beautiful insight into a very personal account of. Parvez sharma, a muslim and gay filmmaker, documents his hajj pilgrimage in his new film, a sinner in mecca. Recently recognized with the 2015 outfest grand jury award for best documentary feature, a sinner in mecca follows director parvez sharma a jihad for love as the openly gay muslim filmmaker documents his pilgrimage to mecca in saudi arabia, where filming is strictly prohibited and homosexuality is a crime punishable by death. Born today most popular celebs most popular celebs celebrity news. Sharmas memoir, a sinner in mecca, was released on august 15 of this year, and chronicles his journey to saudi arabia to embark on hajj the islamic pilgrimage to meccaa trip that put his life at risk.
A gay muslim filmmaker goes inside the hajj the filmmaker parvez sharma, who is muslim and gay, used an iphone strapped to his neck with rubber bands for most of the footage in a sinner in mecca. Aug 31, 2015 filmmaker parvez sharma whose new film made by a gay muslim pilgrim offers a englishspeaking western audience a warts and all view of the annual pilgrimage to mecca in a documentary that has. A sinner in mecca is a 2015 documentary film from director parvez sharma. A sinner in mecca is a suitably messy mix of the gritty and the surreal, the wrenching and the transcendent, from the midst of the trek to islams holiest site. But sharma is unwilling to give up the faith that has been overshadowed by extremists. A sinner in mecca official trailer 1 2015 documentary hd for a gay filmmaker, filming in saudi arabia presents two serious challenges. A sinner in mecca 2015 filmmaker parvez sharma embarks on the hajj, the pilgrimage to mecca, saudi arabia. With nothing more than his iphone, he joins 4 million fellow muslims on the pilgrimage to mecca. Awardwinning documentary a sinner in mecca opens september 4. Sep 29, 2015 a sinner in mecca is personal documaking at its most strident, puffed up with righteousness as sharma justifiably argues that saudi arabias wahabi fundamentalism runs counter to the.
With a sinner in mecca, parvez sharma puts his soul and more on the line exclusive clips and poster. Daily xtra caught up with gay director parvez sharma at the world premiere of his new film, a sinner in mecca, at hot docs on april 29. The book focuses on wahhabism, daesh, saudi arabia, and the position of islam in the indian subcontinent. Parvez sharma is now a 2018 guggenheim fellowplease do visit our onestop designed from scratch website at. With a sinner in mecca, parvez sharma puts his soul and. Sharma, who is also gay and muslim, takes viewers on his 2011 hajj, or pilgrimage, to islams most sacred.
For gay filmmaker parvez sharma, filming in saudi arabia presents two serious challenges filming is forbidden in the country and homosexuality is punishable by death. The film premiered at the 2015 hot docs canadian international documentary festival to critical acclaim as well as negative controversies. A sinner in mecca explores what it means to believe in the face of religious. Dec 06, 2015 after releasing his film a jihad for love, exploring islam and homosexuality, parvez sharma is a marked man, having been publicly labelled an infidel. A sinner in mecca year 2015 genre documentary type movies idmb rating 4.
For gay filmmaker parvez sharma, filming in saudi arabia during the hajj presents two serious challenges filming is forbidden and homosexuality in saudi arabia is punishable by death. There is a lot of matter repeated in consecutive chapters, and yet, he doesnt talk about the history of islam and the lineage in a cohesive manner. A sinner in mecca three new documentaries reveal precarious, uncertain, and inscrutable queer existence in syria, israel, and saudi arabia. The film opened in theaters in the us on september 4, 2015 and is a new york times critics pick. The film, shot guerrilla style on an iphone and smuggled cameras, documents sharmas hajj pilgrimage in saudi arabia, a. Sep 10, 2015 gay muslim films secret pilgrimage in a sinner in mecca. Released september 4th, 2015, a sinner in mecca stars the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 19 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic, which. The movie itself starts with a chat room conversation on a homosexual website with a saudi who just witnessed an execution of a gay man. Sharma has created a swirling, fascinating travelogue and a stirring celebration of devotionwe emerge from his film more enlightened. Synopsis after releasing his film a jihad for love, exploring islam and homosexuality, parvez sharma is a marked man, having been publicly labelled an infidel. The journey of indianborn filmmaker parvez sharma began in 2011, when he embarked on the annual pilgrimage known as hajj. Openly gay and a devout muslim, parvez sharma embarks on a perilous pilgrimage to mecca hoping to find an answer to this most personal question. Aug 14, 2015 a sinner in mecca official trailer 1 2015 documentary hd for a gay filmmaker, filming in saudi arabia presents two serious challenges.
From the recipient of a 2018 guggenheim fellow based on the new york times critic pick documentary the first book about the hajj from a gay perspective. You may exchange or request a refund for your entire order, less the convenience fee, through fandango up until the posted showtime. This is a provocative roadtrip through the heart of islam. Gay muslim films secret pilgrimage in a sinner in mecca. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing a sinner in mecca near you.
To fulfill his religious duty, he goes on a pilgrimage to mecca in saudi arabia. In a sinner in mecca, a gay director ponders his sexuality. Sep 27, 2015 a gay muslim filmmaker goes inside the hajj the filmmaker parvez sharma, who is muslim and gay, used an iphone strapped to his neck with rubber bands for most of the footage in a sinner in mecca. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. A sinner in mecca official trailer 1 2015 documentary hd. Controversial gay muslim film has world premiere in. As a nonmuslim, i am not allowed in mecca but this film gives a. Some may find sharmas pilgrimage too introspective to be accessible, but his bravery in making a film like a sinner in mecca cannot be denied. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto. The trailer for parvez sharmas new film, a sinner in mecca, with its pulsating music, tortured bodies, and scary news clips, depicts a sensationalism worthy of the most crass of islamophobic films. The film was a beautiful insight into a very personal account of a religious journey, said meenu. And yes, a sinner in mecca, the nyt critics pick film and later very dissimilar book book with the same title, and the film a jihad for love are still changing minds globally. A sinner in mecca trailer 2015 trailer for a sinner in mecca. A sinner in mecca 2015 for a gay filmmaker, filming in saudi arabia presents two serious challenges.
Oct 04, 2015 the hajj of the film is visceral and brutal. Aug 12, 2015 recently recognized with the 2015 outfest grand jury award for best documentary feature, a sinner in mecca follows director parvez sharma a jihad for love as the openly gay muslim filmmaker documents his pilgrimage to mecca in saudi arabia, where filming is strictly prohibited and homosexuality is a crime punishable by death. Mecca is the most visited city in the world, yet forbidden to all but followers of islam. A sinner in mecca 2015 stream and watch online moviefone.
The film, shot guerrilla style on an iphone and smuggled cameras, documents sharmas hajj pilgrimage in saudi arabia, a nation where homosexuality is illegal. A sinner in mecca three new documentaries reveal precarious, uncertain, and inscrutable queer existence. Here, we enter the city of mecca that has been forbidden to nonmuslims for 14 centuries. But sharma is unwilling to give up the faith that has been overshadowed by. Parvez sharma risks death to illegally film his hajj pilgrimage an act made more daring by the fact that hes gay. His written work is based on his 2015 documentary of the same name, which visually depicts sharmas religious pilgrimage. The film chronicles sharmas hajj pilgrimage to mecca, saudi arabia as an openly gay muslim. A sinner in mecca is personal documaking at its most strident, puffed up with righteousness as sharma justifiably argues that saudi arabias wahabi fundamentalism runs counter to the.
A sinner in mecca official trailer 1 2015 documentary. Sep 02, 2015 a sinner in mecca is sharmas selfdirected documentation of his struggle to reconcile his sexuality with his devout muslim beliefs and to assuage the guilt he feels over having been. A sinner in mecca is a 2015 documentary film from director parvez sharma a jihad for love. A sinner in mecca is proving to be the most controversial film at this years hot docs festival in toronto for indianborn, new yorkbased, openly gay. Sharmas newest film, a sinner in mecca, shot in saudi arabia in 2011, is a deeply personal and moving film that covers an event that nonmuslims can only see in pictures in a. The soul of islam lives in saudi arabia, sharma says. A gay muslim filmmaker goes inside the hajj the new york times. For a gay filmmaker, filming in saudi arabia presents two serious challenges. The film which premiers in april during torontos hot docs festival follows his journey on. A gay muslim filmmaker goes inside the hajj the new york.
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