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Walking into “A Gay Girl in Damascus: The Amina Profile”, I could have told you almost nothing on the topic this enthralling documentary covers. As the final credits rolled, I became consumed with that desperate need to know EVERYTHING. For me, that is the mark of a successful documentary. If I can begin my journey with ignorance and depart it with passion, then I can unequivocally call the film an achievement.
“Damascus” begins innocent enough. Sandra Bagaria, a gay activist residing in Canada, begins an online courtship of sorts with Amina Arraf, a like-minded young woman living abroad. Unlike the simple life Sandra enjoys, Amina suffers a life of strife as a lesbian living in Syria. Taking place in 2011 doesn’t alter the events much, Syria remains an area not known as a safe haven for homosexuality. Sparked by sheer will and determination, Amina takes her personal plight to the internet, establishing a blog known only as ‘A Gay Girl in Damascus’.
Through her blog, Amina recounts the various indignities of living as an open homosexual in a region that ostracizes those with such a lifestyle. Protests, militia, harassment – these are daily occurrences for Amina. As their relationship blossoms, Sandra begins to grow more concerned for Amina’s well-being. After her reported kidnapping on the bare streets of Syria during the Arab Spring, Sandra reaches out to her various contacts to rescue Amina from certain persecution.
Except she is not in danger. There was no kidnapping. There is no Amina. As director Sophie Deraspe rips the carpet out from under our very hearts, the truth comes spilling out: Amina was a hoax. A fraud crafted by an unseen mastermind. Deraspe remains on the trail, taking us through waves of lies and deceit as Sandra herself desperately searches to uncover the truth behind this very deliberate manipulation (everyone from journalists to activists to various government officials assist the investigation), leading to an eventual confrontation that had me nipping at the tips of my own well-manicured cuticles.
There are numerous other details I would normally discuss here, but the impact the film has is in the discovery. Deraspe has done a wondrous job engulfing the audience into this tale of forbidden love, by seamlessly blending news bits and interviews with hypnotic imagery of the actual correspondence between Sandra and Amina, only to lead us into bitter heartbreak and a complex betrayal worthy of a Hitchcockian thriller. As she peels back each layer, we become as seduced as Sandra into the world of the shady sociopath behind it all.
A great documentary is like a mystery novel, the less knowledge you begin with, the more engrossing the story is as it unfolds. This is a topic that registers on numerous levels: Homosexuality, online romance, acceptance, internet anonymity, and finally – How far is too far? Deraspe and Bagaria captured my heart and mind on their torturous journey, and the conclusion was far deeper than those opening frames ever alluded to.
There is no hoax here, “A Gay Girl in Damascus” is the most compelling documentary of the year.
Written by Sophie Deraspe
Directed by Sophie Deraspe
Aaron Peterson
The Hollywood Outsider