Sarah Hegazi Documentary
A partially animated documentary short
SARAH HEGAZI was an LGBTQ+, feminist and political activist. She was among the first to publicly raise the rainbow flag in Egypt but the act cost her imprisonment, torture, and ultimately her life. This partially-animated short documentary is directed and illustrated by award-winning independent filmmaker Nicole Teeny. The film is supported by an IDA Enterprise Development Grant and InsideOut re:Focus fund and was recently selected for PGA’s Create Lab and the Breaking Through The Lens shortlist.
Sarah Hegazi’s Story
One of the happiest moment of her life, Sarah Hegazi told her best friend Mostafa Fouad, was raising the rainbow flag at the infamous 2017 Mashrou’ Leila concert in Cairo. The newly out 27-year-old feminist activist and lesbian knew it was forbidden yet at that moment she never felt freer. A photo was snapped and immediately went viral on social media. Egyptian government media deemed her a terrorist for the act and asked for the death penalty, setting off the largest mass arrest of LGBTQ people in recent history. Sarah was imprisoned, tortured, sexually harassed, and abandoned by much of her family.
After her release she fled into exile in Canada where she continued her activist work. However, the burden was heavy and three years later, during pride month, Sarah took her own life. She left a note,“To my brothers and sisters, I’ve tried to survive and I’ve failed, forgive me. To my friends, The experience is too cruel and I am too weak, forgive me. To the world, You were extremely cruel, but I forgive you.” Though she died by suicide, it was the system that killed her.
Though she was no longer on this earth, the world was not the same because of Sarah Hegazi. Vigils and marches were held in her honor and pride parades around the world were dedicated to her. For the first time, Egyptians were changing their profile photos to rainbows in support. What was hidden was now being talked about across the Middle East and the world.
However, her death sparked controversy in Egypt and abroad, some calling her a martyr and others saying “she deserved it”. In Egypt and many places in the Middle East her death cannot be publicly mourned and Arabic Wikipedia actively deletes entries about her saying she’s not notable. Even in death, Sarah—like many Arab queers—is being erased. This film is an active stance to ensure she will not be forgotten and giving visibility to queers and human rights activists everywhere.
Sarah’s story is told by those who knew her, activists fighting for human rights. Sarah’s own voice is brought in through her own writings while she was alive in articles, letters, and her journal. Animations, news archival, and personal media like photos and home video visualize this important story.
Why we need this film
We need Queer Arab heroes. In many parts of the Middle East it’s not only illegal to be LGBTQ, it’s punished by imprisonment, torture, and even death. In Egypt it goes beyond LGBTQ issues; queers, activists, journalists, and those fighting for human rights or any sort of freedom of expression are silenced and persecuted through imprisonment, torture, slander, and threats to their family. Sarah fought for us and others without a voice to be seen and paid for it with her life. We cannot let her story and what she stood for die with her. By creating this film, her story lives on.
Who Is Making the Film?
I’m Nicole Teeny, a queer Lebanese American filmmaker currently based in Beirut. I’m working with a talented feminist Lebanese animator to bring my drawings to life and tell Sarah’s story. Click on my about page or peak around my site to learn more. I’m working to tell Sarah’s story through the voices of those who knew her, activists fighting for human rights, and bringing in Sarah’s voice through her own writings while she was alive.
Production & Distribution
We will be working from Lebanon and collaborating with a Lebanese animator. The film will play on a major documentary streaming outlet and we’d like to use it later with grassroots activism.
How you can be a part of film activism!
You are a crucial part of our movement! As Arabs and as queer people, we fight so hard to get our stories told but even when we are successful in finding outlets, obstacles still stand in our way, including finishing costs!
What we need :
We were recently awarded a grant by the IDA (International Documentary Association) and the streaming outlet is contributing to production funds, however, we still need funds for post-production, animation, and E&O insurance—which, tragically because Sarah’s story is considered “controversial” insurance is expensive. With your help, Sarah’s story will be told!
Please consider donating to the project through one of the links below!
(For larger donations, contact me for details on tax-deductible donations)
