The Story of Between Places

Since homosexuality is socially unacceptable in the Islamic world, several queer people live dual lives to be able to survive in a culture that ridicules and frowns upon gays and lesbians.

On the other hand, denial of ones sexual identity and willingness to lead double lives leads to several vices in a culture that thrives on machismo. I feel it is imperative that the queer communities in the Islamic world acknowledge and accept their sexual orientation before hoping to change the perception of others. I understand it is no easy task, as queers are being hanged in Iran, and being persecuted in countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Malaysia. I made this movie with the hope to create awareness about the subject. Moreover, I want my audience, particularly the queer audience, to start taking responsibility for their actions and not be afraid due to social, cultural and religious constraints.

Furthermore, September 11 terrorist attacks made it very difficult for many immigrants, especially immigrants from Middle-eastern countries, to stay in the United States. Several immigrants stay in the U.S. even after their visas expire with the hope for a better life, and some of these immigrants happen to be closet homosexuals. After hearing stories of queer Middle-eastern men marrying women in the U.S. so that they don't get deported, the basic idea of Between Places was born.

It is my first movie and there are some technical flaws. It is a low budget movie with a captivating story that is shot on locations in the beautiful city of San Francisco, which I call my home now. So forgive me for any shortcoming as this is my first narrative feature. You can watch the trailer of Between Places at : www.betweenplacesmovie.com or visit www.myspace.com/between_places_movie to watch sneak peeks.