Seyran Ateş: Sex, Revolution and Islam is a 2021 Norwegian documentary film about Seyran Ateş, a German lawyer and Muslim feminist. It was directed and written by Nefise Özkal Lorentzen.
Plot The documentary follows Ateş, a Muslim girl from the slums in Turkey. She becomes a female leader, challenging her own religion and culture. Her personal and ideological advocacy brings her into contact with women from around the world, from women sex workers in a German brothel to traditional female imams in China. She has been shot, received death threats, and now lives under constant police protection.
She founded a mosque in Berlin where men, women, and members of the LGBTQ community pray together. She is one of the few female imams in the world. Today, Seyran Ates is a Turkish-German lawyer and bisexual feminist who advocates for a sexual revolution within Islam.
Cast
Release and reception The film was premiered at the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival (CPH:DOX) in April 2021.
Roxana Hadadi of the Los Angeles Times expressed frustration with the documentary, saying "Lorentzen’s one-side-only methodology makes Seyran Ateş: Sex, Revolution and Islam a lopsided viewing experience, one that seems tailor made for viewers predisposed to agreeing with Ateş’s critical opinions on Muslims, and no one else".
Dennis Harvey of the 48hills said "Nefise Ozkal Lorentzen’s documentary has some mannered, staged elements that are an unnecessary distraction. But its content (which includes graphic footage of several terrorist attacks), and subject, have a galvanizing power nonetheless."
Awards and nominations The film was long-listed for an Oscar at the 94th Academy Awards. In the United States, it was named Best Documentary Feature at the New York City Independent Film Festival (2022). It was awarded the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at Fire!! Mostra Barcelona LGBT FILM Festival (2022) in Spain. It was also named Best Documentary Feature at the International Queer Film Festival Merlinka (2022) in Serbia.
The film was selected for competition and nominated for awards at several major international film festivals:
Year Festival Award Category ResultRef 2021 Bergen International Film Festival Checkpoints Award Human Rights Documentary 2021 CPH:DOX NORDIC:DOX Award Nordic Documentary 2021 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival Audience Award Best Documentary 2021 Norwegian International Film Festival Audience Award Best Film 2021 Oslo Films from the South Festival DOC: South Award Best Documentary 2021 San Francisco International Film Festival Golden Gate Award Best Documentary Feature 2021 Vermont International Film Festival People's Choice Award Audience Award 2022 Cinema for Peace Awards Women's Empowerment 2022 New York City Independent Film Festival Festival Award Best Documentary Feature 2022 Fire!! Mostra Barcelona LGBT Film Festival Audience Award Best Documentary Feature 2022 International Queer Film Festival Merlinka Festival Award Best Documentary Feature
References
External links
https://www.integralfilm.com/films/seyran-ates