Gay men experience in Syria persecution that is almost unimaginable due to the terror of the Islamic State. And yet in 2016, a "Mr Gay Syria" was chosen to represent the community at the Mr Gay World Contest. A documentary film now not only tells this impressive story, but also depicts the fate of Syrian gay men. LGBT refugees in exile.
Admittedly, one would certainly have expected a little more glamour. After all, this is a national decision for the Mr Gay World Contest. Even if the venue is only a small, somewhat gloomy location and only a handful of men are even standing for election: The enthusiasm on the small stage and the excitement among the few dozen spectators is overwhelming. The most remarkable thing, however, is that this event took place at all: the election of a Muslim country's Mr Gay was not held in their own country, but in exile.
Understandably, the election of Mr Gay Syria could not be organised in Syria itself. Mahmoud Hassino, a Syrian living in Berlin, organised the event in Istanbul and called on his gay compatriots living there to take part: Queer refugees hoping for a visa for Western Europe, for a life in a place where they no longer have to fear being persecuted for their homosexuality, or even worse, being murdered by the terrorist militias of the so-called Islamic State.
Turkish documentary filmmaker Ayse Toprak captured the preparations for this contest, which is so special in many respects, with her camera and accompanied the candidates for several months.
A deep, touching insight
The result is more than just a film about what at first glance appears to be a weird, perhaps even somewhat peculiar scene event. Rather, "Mr Gay Syria" provides a very intimate and at times very touching insight into the individual fates of gay refugees. The different life stories, some of which develop dramatically during the filming, come together to form a complex picture - not only about the lives of LGBT people in Muslim countries, but also about their often hopeless situation and their longing for freedom and visibility.
Hussein, for example. The 24-year-old hairdresser can really live his gayness for the first time in Istanbul. At weekends, however, he travels to the Syrian border to visit his wife and young daughter. He has not yet dared to reveal to his family what he has hidden from them for so long and even denied to himself.
Omar, a young chef who is always in a good mood, is in a better position, as he has a beloved man by his side in Nadar. But while Nadar is allowed to move to Norway, Omar must continue to hold out in Istanbul. They now continue their relationship via Skype.
Hussein is also desperately waiting for a visa. Although he can now proudly wear the title of the newly crowned Mr Gay Syria, Malta will not allow him to travel to the country for the international final. And Mahmound Hassino, who had hoped that the Mr Gay World competition in Malta would draw international attention to the fate of LGBT refugees, has to realise: Nobody there really seems to be interested, least of all the competitors and organisers of the contest.
What Mahmound, who works as a social worker in Berlin's gay counselling service specifically for LGBTI refugees, was unable to achieve in Malta, he has now achieved with this film, which is well worth seeing. After numerous festival invitations and half a dozen awards - including at the film festivals in Chicago, Sarajevo and Turin - "Mr Gay Syria" is now being released in cinemas here in Germany.
Depressing, my arse...
Incidentally, it is by no means a depressing film. Of course, the film is very much about hope and fear, anxiety and despair, as well as the need for disguise. This is also more necessary than ever in Turkey, where homophobia is growing to the point of physical violence. The CSD demonstration, in which some of the protagonists also took part, was brutally dispersed by the police with tear gas.
Director Ayse Toprak also captures the liberated exuberance at the Mr Gay Syria election, the tearful approval that follows Hussein's performance. He, the hairdresser, who had actually wanted to become an actor, had written and rehearsed a monologue instead of the usual dance number: the sentences he had not yet been able to say to his mother about himself and his feelings and the fear of coming out as gay in Syria. "Let's not forget our pain. That's how we stay strong," Hussein shouts to the other queer refugees in the hall at the award ceremony.
Even a little happy ending...
Omar, on the other hand, is able to simply ignore the 3000 kilometres that now separate him from his loved ones living in Oslo. He celebrates his partner's birthday in a heartfelt way via video chat. And finally, the cinema audience even witnesses how he is able to embrace Nadar again in Oslo - thanks to a United Nations refugee resettlement programme.
By the way, there is another piece of good news. It is only a few weeks old and therefore not yet mentioned in the film: Hussein's application for an EU visa has also finally been approved after five years of waiting.
"Mr Gay Syria". Germany, Turkey, France 2017. director & screenplay: Ayse Toprak; 88 minutes
Cinema release: 6.9.2018
Distributed by: Coin Film
