Review of A Sinner in Mecca (2015) by Brent_Marchant — 23 Jun 2020

Back in time for Pride month via online streaming, this highly personal 2015 documentary about a gay Muslim man who makes his required Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca examines the quandary of an individual seeking to be true to himself on diametrically opposed fronts.

Questions of attempts at fulfilling sanctioned elements of devotion clash with personal values that run counter to them, pitting the protagonist against himself as he seeks to reconcile feelings for which there are no easy -- perhaps even no possible -- answers.

As someone who risks the death penalty for his lifestyle, as well as legal sanctions for engaging in artistic pursuits that are forbidden in Islam's homeland, director Parvez Sharma takes viewers on a journey that captivates, educates and boggles the mind, all at the same time.

There are moments when Sharma's story will leave viewers shaking their heads, as well as occasions when the material seems padded and somewhat self-indulgent. However, if nothing else, this offering will leave audiences with myriad questions about how to sort out personally significant but inherently conflicting circumstances, some of which may be applicable to our own circumstances, whether we're Muslim or not.