The Choice of Love

Openly gay Norwegian filmmaker Eirik Andreas Sandaker presents this portrait of Kaltham Alexander Lie, an Iraqi-born activist who gained some notoriety as the first Muslim in Norway to openly declare his homosexuality. Claiming that he wants to explore the unique challenges that Islamic theocracy places on gays, Lie offers numerous recollections of what it means to be a homosexual in a fiercely homophobic Islamic society, and Sandaker expands on the theme by interviewing a young gay Muslim adult who sought refuge in Norway because of threats to his life in his native Somalia. The latter individual, unlike Lie, keeps his identity secret, fearing reprisals from local expatriates. Lie's openness, however, leads to confrontations, particularly during an ugly moment when he and Sandaker are violently insulted in an Oslo café by a group of Arab men. Viewers will also witness the bumbling efforts by Basim Ghozlan, head of the Islamic Union of Oslo, to justify Islamic homophobia—he claims that he wouldn't mind having Lie as his hairdresser, but not as his imam. While the subject matter is worthy, the film suffers somewhat from Sandaker's unpolished filmmaking skills and Lie's shortcomings as an engaging raconteur. In addition, the documentary's coverage of a march against gay marriage in downtown Oslo clearly shows that anti-LGBT feelings are not unique to any single religion or ethnicity—which, of course, dilutes the underlying premise. Worth considering for comprehensive LGBT collections, this is optional elsewhere. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)