by Rasha Younes

In most Arabic-speaking countries, state censorship and pervasive social stigma around lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues often compel talented queer Arab filmmakers to show their films abroad, and not at home. Additionally, wherever in the world LGBT identities are portrayed in the media, these depictions often risk being one dimensional. Seldom are queer and trans people able to portray their lives and experiences, free of stereotypes.

But one regional queer film festival is defying these simplistic narratives.

During Pride Month last year, Cinema Al Fouad, named after the first queer film produced in Lebanon, launched the first ever queer film festival in Beirut. The well attended and groundbreaking festival presented a range of work by queer Arab filmmakers, which challenged normative ideas of gender and sexuality and made queer identities visible throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Read more via HRW