700,000 LOVE JIHADIS

Thats right, and that is a conservative number.
But after one year-this, my first film in its first year has been seen in an estimated 25 nations and by atleast 700,000 people after also being broadcast in France and Germany (and beyond on Arte/ZDF) last week.
This is cause for celebration and finally the overwhelming success of a very Muslim film with a very Muslim voice!

Two Telling Emails

This one from AMINA GHAFOOR (who I dont think has seen this film) and it is helpfully titled "gay/leso "muslims" '

That's discusting and false terminology. There is no such thing as gay and lesbeian 'Muslims' because a Muslim is one who submits to God, and God orders humans not to engage in sodomy. So if someone engages in sodomy, then they are NOT muslims hence cannot be called Muslim gay/les.
Secondly, I feel sorry for you parvez, I wonder what made you lead such a lifestyle. I hope you see the error in what you are doing and repent before it's too late. The people of Lut who were homosexuals were punished like the way a nation was never punished before, 3 folds of torment overtook them, their nation was turned upside down, the wind stopped blowing and furthermore stones from hell with their names on it were pelted at them. I think there is a lesson in that for us. I don't mean to scare you with punishment, rather to enlighten you about the gravity of your crime, yes it is a crime in Islam.
It's the month of Ramadan, can't you show some respect for it? And do turn to God, may He guide you before you misguide any more people.
And regarding the 'imam' Muhsin, dude, what have you got to say about all this? Are a fake imam or something? Be a man and stand up and speak out against this. If it is done in the name of Islam (i.e. Muslim gay/les) then we shall speak out against it, if you don't want us to speak out against it, then do your dirty thing in another name, don't try and seek popularity and fame in the name of Islam. I also fear for your safety.
Hope you see the sincerity in this email

This one below from CLEO in Atlanta who just saw the film there:
Parvez -
Just caught your movie here in Atlanta. I was deeply moved and found this incredibly enlightening. I have been following the problems of gays and lesbians in the middle east for some time, especially since problems in Iraq and Iran. Especially as the US has stepped into Iraq and turned a blind eye to this suffering. I even edited a poetry anthology of poets in the US writing on the subject "Outside the Green Zone", we even had fundraisers for some of the human rights groups to help with the safe houses and raise awareness. It's a very frustrating thing to see how easy it is for people to look away from this problem.
You may ask "why does any one from Atlanta - care so much about this" as I said in the forward of my book, I grew up in a very fundamentalist baptist household and conserative culture in rural North Carolilna. Home of Jessie Helms the very right-wing congressman. People (especially gays) in this country forget we are not so far from this situation ourselves. I grew up with the KKK, the Klu Klux Klan, they were a self-appointed cultural enforcement group that wore hoods to hide their true identities. But they charged themselves to enforce "cultural laws" that were becoming increasingly attacked by a liberalizing society in the 50s and 60s. They were often lawyers and judges, policeman, and politicians, they would drag anyone they felt threatened our society out of their home and lynch them or burn them alive, often leaving their bodies out as warnings. This included, particularly blacks, foreigners, gays, jews, and anyone that seemed to help or aid these groups. the first warning you would get would be a burning cross in your yard, a warning of the coming "wrath of god." When i was twelve I was actually taken to a KKK rally, this was seen as something any teenage boy in our area was expected to do. My parents looked the other way while my older friends took me, but they all knew what was going on. The whole rally was just pure hate, vitriol against all the people that were threatening society, and were not following god's word, all the misfits and deviants , made less than human - needing to be killed and made examples of.
So you can see, when I hear what is going on in the middle east under Islamic extremism I'm reminded of that rally with the burning crosses, and dozens of hooded men, meeting in secret deep in the woods, around a bonfire.
It's a battle we all face in religious communities. How do we fit in? And each commuinty must learn from each of these challenges. We suffer in the South from some of the same problems as seen in your film, Biblical literalist that pick and choose and interpret verses to reinforce their own prejudices.
But about your movie - I found the representation of all the different facets of Islam very interesting. That it's not one monolithic religion. Much as we here in the states have traditional Christianity, but we have fundamentalists, baptists, presbyterians, catholics, etc., etc. all reading from the same book, but comging away with different readings. Some taking each verse literally and looking for what makes people sinners, what punishement they should be given - then some looking for the underlying love of a compassionate loving power.
Some of the most promising words I heard were the older woman in the group discussion on homosexuality and Islam. That each person was challenged to grow and learn from birth, to always question, to always think for themselves - we need much more of that.
So many of the people featured in your movie are such brave heroes. Such unbelieveably brave and heroic figures. I fear sometimes that gays and lesbians here in the U.S. have it too easy. It's always a struggle, but compared to what so many of these characters of going through, we only suffer a small splinter, a small discomfort. I hope that Ameican audiences will realize when they see your film, that in this country, where our community is so blessed we owe it to our brothers and sisters everywhere in the world where they are oppressed to raise our voices and do what we can.
Thanks so much for you wonderful film. I will do what I can here in Atlanta to talk it up and insist my friends see it.
- CLEO

"you're actually showing this movie DURING Ramadan?"

This is the title and content of an email I have just received! I think it speaks for itself...

Atlanta Opens Tonight and College Tour Begins

The amazing theatrical run of Jihad continues across the United States!

Today the film opens at the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema in Atlanta. We need huge weekend numbers so please tell all your friends in Atlanta and buy your tickets at this link

There are so many reasons to see this film. One of them is right here in a message from Pierrick, a recent viewer:

A beautiful testimony of belief, strength, life & love! This movie can have meaningful & intense aftershocks ;)

ALSO I AM TAKING MY JIHAD (and NOW YOURS) across the US on a College Tour! Email me at parvezsharma@gmail.com to get details on how to bring this film to YOUR campus.

European Broadcast TONIGHT!

Jihad will be on air on ARTE and its affiliates across Europe tonight watched by millions in Europe and also in the Middle East.
Check showtimes, tell friends and watch this history making documentary, TONIGHT!

Pain, Palin, Jihad

As the Sarah Pain-McSame ticket becomes increasingly indistinguishable from the platform Ahmadinejad (of Eye-Ran) ran on (and won) in 2005 and as we commemorate the fact that like Ms. Palin, Mr. Nejad was also a mayor. One big difference-Tehran has more than 15 million souls, Wasilla has about 6, 000 people and Alaska has about 700, 000 people- (some of this does not need to be connected, but when you look at the issues, SarahBull sounds like Ayatollah Ali Khameini)...

Well as all of this happens and it becomes easier, always to connect the dots I ran into two interesting little articles about the film- (there are many more but I only post the ones people send me links to)...

One in the mostly pro-Zionist, Jewish Daily Forward, problematically (and hardly originally) titled 'Trembling Before Allah'-I had a few reservations talking to them initially primarily because of their editorial slant...read it here and decide for yourselves.

Another nice little feature runs in Williamette Week and that is here

Jihad continues doing strongly and opens in Atlanta this weekend-please tell all your friends!

There are hundreds of emails I continue getting and some I do reproduce here (not possible for all to fit in...and certainly not possible for me, right now to reply to all of these wonderful people...)

"I saw your film on Sunday @ 4 along w/discussion. I just wanted to let you know how moved and informed I was by your work. Thank you for making the film. For me, as a white American, I knew very little about the details of the gay struggle for Muslims in their home countries. I was very drawn into to all of the stories. Again, thank you."

" Keep going Parvez! The only way to open firmly closed minds is to keep drilling little holes in them. "

"To every one who is happy about this .. do you know what the sentence for this act is . "

"That's a necessty to work more on this subject.Thanks a lot Parvez Sharma for this work and this courage. We needed it in the muslim world."

"This is insane, just getting fame in the name of islam. huh!"

"There is NO CONCEPT of being gay or a lesbo in ISLAM, It prohibits such homo things and a muslim would never do this i repeat a MUSLIM WOULD NEVER DO THIS.
Just read the verses from Quran, where it mentions the whole nation i.e Kaum - Loot (of lesbian n gays) was destroyed since they didn't obey words of GOD (Quran).
I'd say only this is Bullshit!!!"

"You are a cunt and you are gay fuckin propagandist no propergaandoo"

(my footnote on this last one: "Gandoo" is the pejorative in Hindi/Urdu for someone who 'takes it up the ass", literally)

The Best Review

Knowing that most opinions are not humble, in my humble opinion the best review of this film so far was written by Philip Kennicott for the Washington Post, and indeed was read widely by the sell out audiences in DC this weekend. Philip seems to have done a thoughtful viewing of my layered film and offers analysis as opposed to frustrated (or ignorant) judgement.

You can find it here

I quote:
Sharma is right to keep his focus tight. He is interested in the faithful, and their conflicts, not the broader cultural issues surrounding sex and Islamic society -- though he can't help but show the second-class status that women generally suffer in many Islamic countries. His focus on religion -- and this particular religion's almost universal hostility to same-sex love -- means that there can be no answers to the spiritual searching of many of his characters. Which leads to a strange division of sympathy in the viewer. Sharma's characters want acceptance from people who refuse to give it, and at some point, you want to tell them: Leave. Get out. Be done with the madness that oppresses you.

THIRD NIGHT is a SMASH HIT

So DC loves Jihad ; )
The third day had two almost capacity shows at 4 40 and 7 20
Make sure that your local theater knows how much all of you love this film
This interesting email from a Muslim woman in the audience who gets it...

Parvez-As Salaamu Alaikum Ramadan Mubarak:
I saw your film last night and as a Muslim I was proud of your thoughtful and poignant film. You presented Islam intelligently which promoted the beauty of Islam while also, exposing Muslims to their own heterogeneity and presumptions. Culture drives much of the way Muslims respond to things and their subjected interpretations, the cultural expressions were powerfully displayed and meaningful.
Islam would never reject the believer. The people you introduced us to were undoubtedly believers whose immutable beliefs could not be shaken even if the cultural interpretations are narrow and inhumane. Thank ALLAH, for the mothers and children who showed their love unconditionally. I am spreading the word to Muslims in my community challenging them to see this most important film.
Hajjah Benita from Baltimore

Will be writing more soon about others who have been deeply touched here including the Indian Muslim father of a dear friend last night.

SECOND NIGHT IN DC SELLS OUT AS WELL!

More coming soon....

SELL OUT IN DC!

With a hurricane approaching this town (which one hopes the Republicans will soon leave) the film sold out last night...
SOLD OUT, YES! IN DC...
A South-Asian man said to me: "We have been so excited-this is the first non-white gay film we have felt strongly about in a long time!"
This is not a surprising comment to me at all, given the Caucasian-ness that is so pervasive all around us and in this year, when all of Americas dirty racial laundry will be up for everyone to see...
Regardless-it was a moving night with a 40 minute Q&A- Joining us on stage were two people who are very special to me-both straight Muslims- Asra Nomani, author of 'Standing Alone in Mecca' and a fellow fearless love jihadi; ) and Zahir Janmohamed from Amnesty International.

Shirine was so inspired that she wrote a poem and here it is!
A poem inspired by Jihad for Love...

Why Choose Hate?

By Shirine Hossaini

I sit and watch their pain
displayed before my eyes
what do people gain
from suffering and lies?
I cannot hold my tears
my feelings are too strong
though I've tried for years
they always say 'you're wrong'
Why should people struggle
when all they want is love
life is such a juggle
it's noone's right to shove
for every stone you throw
a count is being kept
when you die you'll know
how many mothers wept
every tear they shed
for every lonely night
will haunt you though you're dead
so why not make it right?
use your faith to guide
and open up your mind
nothing left to hide
you'll leave this world behind
learn to live
before it's too late
learn to give
and I'll reciprocate!

Ramadan 1429

As Ramadan begins I share with you this new email. Ramadan Karim to all of you and your loved ones. And as a friend said:

Wishing you one month of Ramadan,

Four weeks of Barakat,

30 days of Forgiveness,

720 hours of Guidance,

43200 minutes of Purification,

2592000 seconds of Nur....

Good afternoon, Mr. Sharma.
I had the great fortune of meeting you on Monday, August 25th and a screening for your film at the Lumiere Theater in San Francisco.
The journey began with an email sent by my dear friend Marc Smolowicz to support the film soon after I heard a piece on Up Front's radio show about the piece.
I was drawn to see the film when I heard the clip of the South African imam.
I was working in another part of the city and am trying to commit more to public transportation, so was rushing to the busstop after a full day of setting up interviews for teaching artists for our school programs. I am a program director of a youth arts organization in San Francisco. My treat after a long day was to be infused with your film.
The bus arrived late and I got to the movie ticket window to purchase my ticket a few minutes after 7 pm. The kind woman took my card and ID and the purchase came back denied.
It's an ATM card and indeed had a positive balance so I insisted that I call my bank. I was going to see the film.
The staff at the Lumiere was gracious enough for me to use their phone, sit in the ticket office, and resolve the issue. Sure enough there was an error on the bank's end. While the bank representative was on the phone the ticket agent ran the card and my ticket was purchased.
I was so relieved!
I quietly and quickly rushed into the theater. The lights had gone dark and the film had started. I moved near the front and settled into my seat and placed my backpack next to me.
I was overlooking the ocean in South Africa and then following a penguin.
The dialog in the car between the imam and his children was sweet and honest. It reminded me of working with the youth I serve. The questions and responses come from a place of honesty one rarely gets from adults in "official" contexts.
Then on to Iran. Then on to Turkey...
I didn't know what to expect. I suppose I expected another lovely film about gay life, but this time set in the Muslim world. But I was touched to see Islam portrayed as a faith and not as a "regime", "other", "evil", "conservative", or "extremist".
I was raised Catholic, so I laugh whenever I see catholicism mis-portrayed by the news and media. There are still times when I have to explain the whole "3-in-1" God thing.
And I have some friends who are Muslim, so I feel I have a little handle on tradition and faith. I'm not surprised when Ramadan suddenly starts up again with its roving location on the Gregorian calendar because of how it falls in the lunar cycle.
But, honestly, I know Islam more factually through the news I seek. Some alternative news, but I don't understand Arabic yet in a way to get a non-news take on Islam. (Unless the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour counts.) Until this film, I had never seen women engage in Islam so intimately.
And I knew that was because of the gender holding the camera.
I've only ever seen men in mosque and set out prayer rugs.
I was so touched to see loving devotion in this way by women.
Thank you for filling in a blank spot in my understanding of how women devote themselves in their faith.
I also wanted to thank you for taking the time to answer the questions in the audience and being so kind as to shake my hand at the end of the screening. You allowed yourself to be vulnerable and shared how profound of an experience this was to create.
And I am excited for your next project, especially if it's a Bollywood film!
Please continue to pursue your work with the care and craft that you have in this movie. I'd be honored to thank you with a meal the next time you come to the Bay Area.

I look forward to continuing to support your work.