Mr Gay Syria

by Ayse Toprak
  • 2017 Bradley Secker

    Synopsis

    Mr. Gay Syria follows two gay Syrian refugees who are trying to rebuild their lives. Husein is a barber in Istanbul living a double life between his conservative family and his gay identity. Mahmoud is the founder of Syria’s LGBTI movement and is a refugee in Berlin. What brings them together is a dream: to participate in an international beauty contest as an escape from their trapped lives and an answer to their invisibility. Will the dream come true or will the refugee crisis and the harsh consequences of being gay in the Muslim world shatter it to pieces?

    Festivals

    IFF Sheffield DOC|FEST (Weltpremiere)
    Human Rights Award beim Sarajevo IFF
    Special Mention der Jury beim LGBTQI-Festival REAL LOVERS FF / Turin
    Silver Hugo beim Chicago IFF
    Ocana Award to Freedom beim Sevilla FF
    Best European Documentary beim Tirana IFF
    Grand Prix beim LGBT-Festival Chéries Chéris / Paris
    Special Mention for Human Rights Film im Impact Competition beim Verzio IHRDFF
    Hofer Filmtage (Germanpremiere)
    IDFA, Amsterdam
    exground filmfest, Wiesbaden, Frankfurt
    Tüpisch Türkisch, Köln
    QUEERSICHT, LGBT-Filmfestival Bern
    BERLIN & BEYOND
    MoMA's Doc Fortnight
    20th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival

    Cast and Crew

    Director

    Ayse Toprak