This is just an excerpt from the avalanche of backlash and hate mail provoked by the documentary film A Sinner in Mecca. The man behind and in front of the camera at once, Parvez Sharma, who produced, directed and shot (on iPhone), is no stranger to stirring controversy in the Muslim world. Gaining notoriety and death threats alike since his previous documentary A Jihad for Love postulated the coexistence of Islam and homosexuality, he went down the same road again to come to terms with the religion in what he half-joking calls "a first Saudi selfie film".
Sharma, a Muslim LGBT activist and filmmaker, opens the documentary with an overstylized intro and what appears to be an authentic recording of a public beheading for the sin of homosexuality. A Sinner in Mecca does not come back to the theme of Sharma's previous film, as it strays instead into deeply personal territory. Sharma assumes the role of protagonist as a guide peeking behind the opaque curtain of the Islamic world.
He embarks on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Hajj, which every Muslim should complete at least once in his life. Shooting undercover, as a gay Muslim and filmmaker (because of the holy nature of the act and places), thus breaking two taboos at once, he brings a rare testimony to all "infidels" who would otherwise never have such an opportunity, expanding the horizons and knowledge in this particular department.
The protagonist´s soliloquies include thinking out loud in the process of personal mental rumination about his mother, who was unable to accept his orientation and what it means to be a gay in Islamic country -- "Not a good idea," the director reminded in self-deprecating tone several times after the screening -- among other subjects regarding his life. Sharma also provides a contextual introduction to Islamic rituals and historical background when needed.
Sharma´s pilgrimage creates the backbone of the film, with him sharing his personal story, linked also to India where he grew up, and his mission to be part of a religion that rejects him. Once he sets foot on Saudi Arabian soil, the scope expands promptly from personal confession regarding religion to a wider social and political perimeter, though Sharma shuns the sensationalizing approach, even in the case of culture shock opportunities.
Roaming the streets and meeting fellow pilgrims, an image of Saudi Arabic culture and society emerges slowly while Sharma doesn't hesitate to hold it up to a mirror. Paradoxes appear as the streets of the Holy City are littered with rubbish, the glimpse forbidden for "infidels", or an allegation of groping in Mecca. On the next occasion, the director meets a man revealing he stood witness to an "honor killing", an act disgusting to the filmmaker to such an extent he could not look upon the man again.
On the intersection of personal and social plane, a political one vigorously arises. Sharma´s commentary falls into an outward indictment of Saudis and their actions in the Holy Land -- "I was always very critical of the Saudis," he does not hesitate to clarify -- pointing also towards "Westernized" behavior, as the invasion of capitalism, ignorance of heritage, or the building frenzy leading to the construction of Abraj Al Bait, a building with the largest clock face, designed to overshadow Western landmarks. The circle closes, as political and religious planes merge in order to foreground ideological gears in the movement of Wahabi Islam, an important and overlooked matter while discussing the atrocities resulting from Islamic radicalism.
There is a little schooling going on to clearly denote branches of Islam and to deliver the message that Muslim does not equal terrorism and other stereotypes. A complicated issue deserving separate treatment is brought up in somewhat broad contours, making a clear-enough distinction between the inner order of Islam and a justification for Sharma's cry for changes within the religion.
A Sinner in Mecca is bound to be controversial because of it unflattering exposé and revelation of not only sacred rituals but also overgrown hypocrisy of Saudi Arabia. Unlike the so-called debunking documentaries on YouTube about cults, Sharma's attempt feels sincere and mature, despite being exclusively and literally a one-man show. The director and protagonist, as an experienced journalist, and in spite of the almost private nature of the film, avoids being tendentious or misleading.
The filmmaker shares his inner thoughts to bring viewers as close as possible into his mindset, channeling understanding via empathy. Even this has clearly marked boundaries; that's why it doesn't feel like an attempt to convert anyone, despite the protagonist's ceaselessly repeated affectations for his religion. The ever-present proverbial Damoclean sword above the LGBT community in the Muslim world and its zero tolerance are palpably materialized by the protagonist, the persistent fear marked by his exile, feeding the urgency of his testimony, morphing into activism and a cry for a larger change.
A Sinner in Mecca, a daring confessional doc, breaks taboos in order to mobilize for change, but also to advocate for self-acceptance, no matter the circumstances.
A Sinner in Mecca is available on Netflix in US, Canada, UK, Ireland and iTunes.