Review of A Sinner in Mecca (2015) by Tom A — 01 Nov 2018

A film that attempts to tell an important story - and one so rarely addressed in film and mainstream culture that it should be celebrated for its existence. Where A Sinner In Mecca fails is in its determination to achieve its singular aim.

The film is at times touching, and sometimes borders on poigniancy, but struggles with the heavy handed delivery of its core message. In relying too much on Western narratives of Islam as shorthand its depiction of the world filmmaker Pavez Sharma inhabits is shallow and loses much of the nuance and context that a truly incredible film could have achieved.