We’ve seen our fair share of queer young love stories from all over the world—and we’re certainly not complaining about that!—but it’s much rarer to find a gay drama centered on men of a certain age.
However, there’s a timely new film on the way from acclaimed Iranian-German director Nadar Seimar, which will set out to tell a more “seasoned” love story and break down plenty more barriers along the way.
Set in modern-day Germany, among a community of Muslim immigrants from Turkey, Hijiamat (derived from a word for Muslim cupping therapy) is the story of a middle-aged man named Karam (Lebanon-born actor Kida Khodr Ramadan) who begins a secret affair with a local German man (Run Lola Run‘s Moritz Bleibtreu).
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Though their romance starts hot and heavy, others in the community catch on, which “send shockwaves” through Karam’s deeply religious family, “igniting a battle between faith, identity, and love.”
Within some interpretations of traditional Islamic culture, homosexuality is considered a sin, so it’s not uncommon—even to this day—for queer people to be forced to undergo a form of exorcism ritual. Essentially a spiritual conversion therapy, the belief is that the practice can rid one of the literal demons inside them.
After word of Karam’s affair gets out, he, too, may be subjected to this dangerous ritual. It’s up to his sympathetic brother to fight for his safety, digging up “long-hidden family secrets” in the process, which threatens to tear them all apart.
So, right, maybe this isn’t your average love story. It seems Seimar—who previously directed the Venice Film Festival prize-winning drama The Witness—has a lot more on his mind than just romance.
“Migration is one of the greatest challenges facing European countries,” the filmmaker shares in a press statement, as reported by Variety. “The immigrant population in Europe is increasing day by day, and undoubtedly, the cultural differences between these immigrants and the host country’s culture will be one of the biggest obstacles to peaceful co-existence.”
“Germany, as one of the European countries that has accepted the most immigrants, is now facing a wide and sometimes conflicting cultural diversity,” he continues, setting the scene for a story within a tense melting pot of identities and moralities.
“By portraying the cultural differences of a significant segment of German immigrants (from Turkey) and examining the human dimensions of some of the cultural characteristics of this segment, [Hijiamat] tries to propose a practical and humane solution for achieving cultural understanding.”
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It’s sounds like potentially very heady, heavy stuff, yes. But for those of us who enjoy our men with a bit more experience under the belts—and a bit more grey in their beards—there’s plenty to enjoy.
Both Kida Khodr Ramadan and Moritz Bleibtreu are pretty well-known actors in Germany, so it’s exciting to see these stars so eager to dive into such a powerful queer story.
Specifically, Ramadan has expressed his gratitude to Nadar Seimar for entrusting him with such an important, meaty role, which he’s getting in fighting shape for. “I’ve never prepared so intensely for a project before,” he recently told the media outlet Blickpunkt Film. “I go to the gym, and I’m making sure my diet is healthy”—sounds like someone’s getting ready for some love scenes!
How do you say zaddy in German?
Per Variety, Hijiamat is set to begin filming in Berlin this summer, and is currently pre-selling to international distributors at the Cannes Film Festival market, so stay tuned for more updates!
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