Kuki From Iraq
Funds Needed for Completion: $ 195,400.0
Estimated Completion Date: 12/31/2008
Synopsis
Kuki From Iraq is an intimate portrait of Mohamed, a 25-year old gay Iraqi refugee living in exile in Syria.
Before the war, gays in Iraq were ostracized. Now they’re hunted down and killed. In 2005, Grand Ayatollah Sistani, the Supreme Shia authority, issued an anti-gay fatwa decreeing that homosexuals “should be killed in the worst, most severe way.” His words sanctioned a campaign of execution-style assassinations meted out by the Badr Corps, the armed wing of the Islamic fundamentalist movement. Since the U.S. occupation of Iraq, intimidation, beating, kidnapping, and murder of gays has become a routine occurrence, yet American policy has done nothing to address the “religious cleansing” of gays in Iraq, and the story has gotten little coverage in the media.
KUKI FROM IRAQ, a feature documentary, captures an intimate portrait of Mohamed Ameen, a young gay Iraqi living in fear for his life. A chronicle of his experiences coping with the devastation of war, persecution and exile, the film draws critical attention to the plight of gays in war-torn Iraq.
Nicknamed “Kuki” for his outlandish childhood behavior—Mohamed was an effeminate boy obsessed with American pop-culture and dance. Growing up the privileged son of a diplomat and an attorney, he was often summoned to perform for Saddam Hussein’s televised birthday parties—once playing the part of “the American kid” dancing to Michael Jackson’s “I’m Bad.” What passed for childhood antics was not condoned as Kuki came of age, and his effeminate demeanor and American affectations became the subject of suspicion and ridicule. At 18, Mohamed was scouted by a modeling agency and a new world opened up to him. Working in Lebanon and Turkey, he was able to explore his true identity, without fear of retribution.
Mohamed’s budding modeling career came to an abrupt halt in 2003, when American bombs fell on Baghdad during his 20th birthday party. His modeling agency shut down. Amidst rising intolerance, it was no longer safe for Mohamed to walk the streets and his family imposed house arrest. Two interminable years of isolation sent Mohamed into deep depression—his sole consolation the American friends he made chatting on the internet. Following the fatwa decree, a note arrived on the front door of his Baghdad home.
“We know your gay son is hiding inside the house. If he doesn’t leave, we’ll kill the whole family.”
Two weeks later, his mother put Mohamed on a plane, and overnight he became one of 2.2 million Iraqi refugees; the largest movement of displaced persons since the Palestinian crisis of 1948. He spent a two years in the slums of Damascus, Syria, caught in emotional and physical limbo--not allowed to work, eking an existence from the meager resources his family could send. With no end in sight for the violence in Iraq, going home is not an option. After multiple failed asylum attempts, Mohamed has finally been granted a visa to the United States. The film chronicles his journey to America and his new life in the land of his childhood dreams.
What lies in store for Mohamed? He hopes to resume his modeling career and enjoy the freedoms he was denied at home. Will life in the United States measure up to his pop-culture fantasy? How will he endure the loss of family in Baghdad he may never see again? Will he find true love when he finally meets Thomas, the Mid-Western cyber-boyfriend who helped him endure the crushing loneliness of exile? What makes Mohamed “different” as a gay Iraqi is not what makes his story extraordinary, but the desire for love and prosperity which makes him just like all of us—and makes the atrocities carried out against him all the more indefensible.
Budget:
$195,400.0
Project's Financial Needs
PRODUCTION
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER SALARY
CAMERA – DAMASCUS VIDEO DIARY
SYRIA/US - CAMERA PERSON/EQUIPMENT
SYRIA/US - SOUND PERSON/EQUIPMENT
SYRIA/US - TRAVEL TRANSPORT/CAR/AIR/TRAIN
SYRIA- HOTEL/LIVING EXPENSES
SHIPPING VIDEO DIARY TAPES TO NEW YORK FROM DAMASCUS
TAPE STOCK
INSURANCE/FINANCIAL/LEGAL
OTHER PRODUCTION COSTS
POST-PRODUCTION
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER SALARY
EDITOR/ASSISTANT EDITOR
FACILITY ARRANGEMENTS/EQUIPMENT
COLOR CORRECTION
SOUND POST/MIX
MUSIC COPYRIGHT
SUBTITLES
GRAPHICS
TRANSCRIBE
TRANSLATION
TRAILER
DISTRIBUTION
WEBSITE/MARKETING/PUBLICITY
DVD AUTHORING/DUPLICATION/DESIGN
FESTIVAL APPLICATIONS
ADMIN
Other financial Support
I'm funding this through my "bread and butter" web design job, and I have no other producers on-board, so it's been like raising a child. If anyone wants to co-produce with me, let's talk!
CHICKEN AND EGG PICTURES
I applied for funds from Chicken and Egg Pictures, which supports female filmmakers. I am awaiting the results of my application.
GUCCI TRIBECA DOCUMENTARY FUND
I applied for the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund. I have requested $ 30,000 from them and will find out if I’ll be awarded the grant by August 1, 2008.
JEROME FOUNDATION
I applied for a $ 30,000 grant from the Jerome Foundation. This grant is pending approval.
ROBESON FOUNDATION
I have applied for a grant from the Robeson Foundation but won't receive the results until August.
Current stage of production
Production
Estimated Completion Date
12/31/2008
Background
The subject of homosexuality in Middle-Eastern countries is a sensitive one. Homosexuals are often persecuted by their governments. In Syria, where Mohamed is currently living, homosexuality is illegal. Hiding one’s sexuality creates a sense of isolation, so most homosexuals from the region have a hard time simply admitting their sexual orientation, because for their entire lives, they’ve been taught that the feelings they are having are ones of which they ought to be ashamed. When I first met Mohamed, he insisted he was heterosexual, but through the time I’ve spent developing a strong friendship with him, he was eventually able to speak to me honestly about his sexuality. This kind of intimacy has created a situation where he’s open and willing to share his entire life with me on camera.
Timeline
I’ve been following Mohamed’s story for over a year, and have shot over 30 hours of footage of his life in exile. The film will be shot on High-Definition Mini-DV, and will be comprised of the following:
* Mohamed’s life in exile
* Mohamed’s extended family members in exile in Jordan and Syria, as well as his family members living in Baghdad
* Video and photos from his home in Baghdad
* Archival video of Mohamed dancing as a child at Saddam Hussein’s birthday
* Archival modeling photos and video
* Excerpts from a daily video diary he's been recording with a 3-chip camera
* His life in the United States
I taught Mohamed how to use a 3-chip camera, and he’s filming daily video diaries, so I can continue to follow his story when I’m not in Syria with him.
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