The tale of Egyptian Nabil (Ryan Ali) his awareness and the reencounter, stitch by stitch, with his departed mother Selma in an urban overdeveloped Toronto.
We learn Nabil, in his early 20s, was a single child from a broken marriage, he and his mother lived in Cairo, she passed away and he moved to Canada to live with a successful and very religious father that soon will be incorporated as a partner of a major construction and development firm.
The fictional story shows how Nabil takes awareness of himself and what surrounds him while meeting trans woman Malibu (Alexandra Billings) by chance on the street.
Activist Malibu has her own struggles to preserve Mandy, a home, a shelter, an old club and an LGTB historical site under the menace of eviction to turn the place into condos. Malibu has daughters: Decaf, Habib, Fiance, Taz; they perform a drag show and all remember Mandy, the matriarch (who died with her makeup on and looking fabulous) who had a hospice in the landmark building that does not qualify for a loan application and sooner and later will be torn apart. Malibu and her family are willing to honor Mandy´s memory and fight against the odds.
In this visually rich narrative, among soccer games on tv, sermons at church, lace and sequined dresses, outstands a burgundy piece of garment that relates to a complex design Selma draws in a scrapbook Nabil owns and links him directly to his childhood, he also finds in a closet the piece of cloth that reminds him of his mother and especially, how Selma was proud of her child and encouraged him to love him as he is. Nabil fulfills his mother´s wishes and legacy, and cuts, sews, and finishes the fancy dress.
Energies flow and naturally get together with Malibu & Co while talking in needlework and activism. Forces from the Church of the Redeemer and the father in charge of the urban development of the area also interweave up to the climax.
Malibu provides a two-minute segment of history, condensed information on LGTB diversity, and also makes interesting and up-to-date statements such as the violence against our community is unending, and drags were born of revolution.
PS A final musical sequence with the credits makes sense of the choice of the title.
PS Cinephobia will be releasing Reem Morsi's Queen Tut in an LGBTQ Film Fest near you soon.
Review by José Mayorga , Guatemala, Central America lawyer and notary public, visual artist, and editor of El Azar Cultural, lives and works in Guatemala City. Cinema lover, curious about the possibilities life brings and eager to live the experience.
Labels: 2023, Alexandra Billings, canadian, drag queen, José Mayorga, Queen Tut, Reem Morsi, review, Ryan Ali
