Muslims for Progressive Values

These stories unfold in moments of quiet upheaval: a phone call before a wedding, a crisis in a small-town mosque, a young girl’s journey through myth, siblings fractured by grief. Centering queer, trans, and intersex lives across the SWANA region, this program honors the intimate revolutions that occur within families, faith, and the self.

A diverse tapestry of queer Muslim, Arab, and SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) stories – from crossdressers in the 1920's Ottoman Empire to diasporic pursuits of the American Dream today, here's a collection of the multifaceted identities we weave and wear.

The youngest son in a traditional Pakistani family takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque, and he quickly becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman who runs the show.

Karim returns to his family home and opens up to his parents about being into men. Their reaction inspires a journey of discovery through Karim's isolation as he attempts to break an ingrained culture of silence.

QUEER MUSLIM SHORTS is returning for its third year to celebrate this unique identity with stories exploring family, relationships, and faith. From heartwarming dramas to chuckling comedies, expect a wide range of emotions and an overwhelming sense of joy!

QUEER! MUSLIM! PROUD! The first ever Queer Muslim shorts selection of Wicked Queer brings you stories about identity, faith, family and love! Coming out to parents, fighting for who you are despite society's oppression, being brave and finding compassion... Delivered from all around the world, these stories show how much we have in common even though we come from different backgrounds.

Birds of The Borderlands follows four Arab queers as they risk their place in their families, communities and even countries to be themselves. Hiba is a Bedouin trans-girl fleeing her tribe before they discover her secret transition; Youssef is a gay Iraqi refugee murder-witness, waiting in hiding for UNHCR to hand him his fate; Khalaf is a gay Imam turned LGBT activist forced to seek asylum abroad after a vicious assault from his family; Rasha is a young Jordanian feminist who finds herself in a relationship with Jordan, the Australian filmmaker who is determined to help the film’s characters but doesn’t understand the price paid for freedom in a country where honor can still be thicker than blood.