-Analysis-
BEIRUT — The years between 2022 and 2024 can be considered among the most productive in Arab cinema regarding films focusing on queer sexualities and issues. These two years were the most prolific since the 1990s, a period marked by what critics consider the first Arab queer film, Cinema Fouad by Lebanese filmmaker Mohamed Soueid in 1993.
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The genres exploring queer and gender issues range from documentaries to narratives. While Lebanon leads Arab countries in production, Egypt, Palestine, Tunisia and Jordan have also contributed significantly. Through these films, Arab directors have employed cinema to address issues and narratives of diverse sexualities, including queer and trans identities. The range across the region is unprecedented:
Tea with Adonis (2022)
Documenting Arab queer history
The 2022 documentary Tea with Adonis by Lebanese filmmaker Selim Mourad shares thematic and cinematic characteristics with Cinema Fouad. The film employs direct dialogue between the filmmaker and the central character.
It follows Amir, a filmmaker in his 30s, as he seeks to document the life of Adonis, a queer man in his 70s. Through their encounters, Amir uncovers Lebanon’s queer history, particularly from the 1970s. The dialogue highlights the cultural and behavioral differences between two generations sharing similar sexual orientations.
Adonis recalls an era when identifying queer individuals was challenging, marked by fear and prohibitions, compounded by the turmoil of war: “In war, people were dying, suffering and throwing themselves into the sea; there was no escape from war.”
The film serves as a historical document that juxtaposes Adonis’ individual story with broader themes of sexuality, war and the lack of awareness and protection in queer relationships. Despite the hardships, Adonis reflects on the courage of many LGBTQ+ individuals who chose “pleasure over fear” as a means of escapism.
Shame (2023)
Social stigma and the dancing body
The 2023 film Shame by Lebanese-French filmmaker Hadi Moussally explores Arab cultural contexts and societal impositions of shame on a body yearning to dance. Unlike the documentary style of Tea with Adonis, Shame is a highly artistic and visually experimental short film.
Viewers can connect with the inner conflicts and emotions evoked by gender and identity struggles.
The narrative follows Salma Zahour, a young woman who dances in private but faces societal disapproval from her neighbors and community. Through staged theatrical scenes set against 19th-century Levantine aesthetics, the film critiques how traditional values shape the concept of shame and its enforcement within families and communities.
By reimagining this socio-cultural construct, the director challenges viewers to reevaluate notions of shame, societal expectations and the evolving nature of cultural identities.
Warsha (2022)
Dancing on city cranes
The 2022 short Warsha delves into the lives of Syrian migrant workers in Lebanon. Directed by Dania Bdeir, who was born in Montreal, Canada, to Syrian parents and grew up in Beirut, the film follows Mohammed, a construction worker living in a cramped underground room with others. The narrative takes a dramatic turn when Mohammed, replacing a deceased coworker, ascends a construction crane above the city. High above, Mohammed finds liberation, transforming the isolated crane cabin into his sanctuary.
Accompanied by Umm Kulthum’s song “Give Me My Freedom,” Mohammed embarks on a choreographed performance atop the crane, bridging two worlds: the earthly and the heavenly, the collective and the personal. This poetic moment encapsulates the repressed emotions of the character and creates a striking visual metaphor for freedom and self-expression.
My Girl Friend (2022)
Gender disguise
The 2022 film My Girl Friend by the Cairo-based filmmaker Kawthar Younis tackles gender roles and societal restrictions in Egypt. The story revolves around Aliya, a university student who enters her girlfriend Sarah’s room disguised as a male to avoid scrutiny. The film explores gender fluidity and societal expectations through this guise, as Ali navigates the tension between maintaining the disguise and his identity.
The narrative intensifies with the father’s subtle but ominous interactions, symbolizing a broader societal gaze. The close-up shots of the characters allow viewers to connect with the inner conflicts and emotions evoked by gender and identity struggles.
Our Males and Females (2023)
Trans body in death
Our Males and Females, an 11-minute short directed by Jordanian filmmaker Ahmad Alyaseer and released in 2023, examines sexual values through the lens of a trans individual’s death. The plot revolves around the struggles of a grieving father and mother deciding on the burial rites for their trans child.
Both male and female washing attendants refuse to perform the rituals due to the deceased’s ambiguous anatomy, sparking a confrontation of societal norms that haunt even the dead.
These films collectively represent a groundbreaking moment in Arab cinema.
The father’s eventual act of mutilation underscores the oppressive forces of tradition, contrasting with the mother’s recitation of Quranic verses advocating mercy. This poignant juxtaposition illustrates the harshness of societal norms compared to the compassion of spiritual teachings.
Conditional Desire (2023)
Reigniting marital passion
In the 2023 film Conditional Desire by Tunisian director Houcem Slouli, the focus is on Ahmed and Salma, a Tunisian couple grappling with a monotonous and emotionally disconnected marriage.
Through choreographed movements, the film depicts their gradual exploration of queer desires outside their heterosexual relationship. The intimate scenes reveal a nuanced portrayal of the physical and emotional dynamics within and beyond their partnership.
Sultana’s Reign
Drag art and celebration of life
Lebanese-French filmmaker Moussally’s 2023 documentary Sultana’s Reign follows Sultana, a New York-born drag queen of Middle Eastern descent. The film interweaves Sultana’s personal history with cultural and political events in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. Through their drag performances and reflections on iconic Arab actresses, Sultana champions acceptance and celebrates the transformative power of drag as an art form.
These films collectively represent a groundbreaking moment in Arab cinema, boldly addressing themes of identity, sexuality, and societal constraints while celebrating diversity and artistic expression.
