BEIRUT DREAMS IN COLOR
Film poster for "Beirut Dreams In Color" with singer in concert facing audience with man holding pride flag.
BEIRUT DREAMS IN COLOR
Film poster for "Beirut Dreams In Color" with singer in concert facing audience with man holding pride flag.
Renegades, rebels, pioneers…Mashrou’ Leila are indie rock gods in the Arab world — but their fame comes with a price

BEIRUT DREAMS IN COLOR

Regular price $129.00
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NOMINEE, OUTSTANDING SHORT DOCUMENTARY - News & Documentaries Emmy Award | WORLD PREMIERE - Tribeca Film Festival | BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT - Kashish International Film Festival

LGBTQ+ Rights • Music and Social Movements • Middle East Politics • Freedom of Expression • Mental Health


Date of Completion: 2022 | Run Time: 28 minutes​​ | Language: English & Arabic with English subtitles | Captions: Yes | Includes: Discussion Guide | Director, Producer, & Editor: Michael Collins | Producers: Marty Syjuco, James Costa, & Sarah Kasakas | Executive Producer: Patty Kim | Composer: Andrew Dost

At a concert in Cairo, one of the biggest bands in the Middle East, Mashrou’ Leila, energizes a crowd of 35,000 people. On stage, the charismatic lead singer, Hamed, the first openly gay rock star in the Arab world, faces a sea of swaying flickering lights. Among the incandescence, a fan raises a giant rainbow flag, capping off a magical night. Yet, that one simple act of pride and joy would ultimately catapult the band, the fan and others headlong into a tragic series of events.

Award-winning filmmakers Michael Collins and Marty Syjuco (“Give Up Tomorrow”, “Almost Sunrise”, “Delikado”), James Costa (“Call Her Ganda”) and Sarah Kasakas (“Underdown”) brings us the timely story of a trailblazing rock band, a courageous fan, and a queer activist’s daunting battle against religious extremists for equality in some of the most hardline places in the world. BEIRUT DREAMS IN COLOR is, simultaneously, a rare and nuanced look into the LGBTQ politics of the Middle East, and a moving testament to the power of music, and the universal desire for freedom.