A Jihad for Love Gets World Premiere Attention in Toronto

From the Inner Circle in South Africa.

"A Jihad for Love" gets World Premier attention in Toronto

Just a few hours ago, as we see Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta and
Arjun Rampal screening their art movie "The Last Lear", we also see
the premier of "Jihad for Love" a much awaited film about queer
Muslims internationally and how they struggle for love and
understanding in an Islam that opposes homosexuality.

The film was very well received by the audience who numbered more
than three hundred in a jam-packed Cumberland Studio in Toronto.
Quite to the surpise of the premier organizers, "A Jihad for Love"
got the audience to stay for a Question & Answer session after the
screening. Questions were mostly directed to the Director Parvez
Sharma and Imam Muhsin Hendricks who is the spiritual backbone of the
film.

Imam Muhsin Hendricks, who was very calm all through the evening said: "I had lots of faith in God and the director (laugh) and I just knew that the film was going to be well received....... the rest I leave in the hands of God"

Mazin, a queer Muslim from Egypt who was one of the victims in the
"Queen Boat" saga a few years ago, is also featured in the film. His
story had a huge impact on the audience who was very thrilled to have
had him as one of the guests at the premier.

This movie, which brought tears to the eyes of so many in the
audience, also brought with it a new understanding of Islam and the
word "jihad". In the words of a viewer: "It was refreshing to see a
movie like this which gives a new perpective of term 'jihad' in a post
9/11 world"

The Director, Parvez Sharma, who was very worried about the movie
and pleasantly surprised afterwards, said that he is going to make
sure that the movie gets seen by as many Muslims as possible. He
said: "We will make sure that the movie gets to every country,
television and home".

The producer, Sandi Dubowski says that he is very moved by the
audiences' enthusiasm for the film and he is hopeful that the film
will bring a fresh understanding of Islam to the world and will have
a positive impact on the Muslim community globally.

The film will be moving around the world in the next few months and
will be screened at the Gay and Lesbian Film festival in South Africa
in mid November 2007.

by Shaheeda Williams for The Inner Circle of South Africa