Hadi Moussally wins Fashion Film Award 2024: ‘Young Arabs need to know queer Arabs exist’

Last week, the French-Lebanese filmmaker Hadi Moussally received the prestigious Fashion Film Award for his film ‘Shame (عيب)’ to resounding applause and cheers at Lumière Cinema Maastricht at the Netherlands' FashionClash Festival 2024. The film captivated the audience with its daring exploration of the relationship between shame, self-expression, and culture. Although it's a film about Arab culture (the word "عيب" is often used to uphold social norms and punish transgressions), many people identify with the film, Moussally told FashionUnited.

The Fashion Film Award, organised by the non-profit organisation FashionClash based in the city of Maastricht, offers both emerging and established filmmakers a platform to showcase their work to a wide audience. This year, 31 films from various countries were submitted and judged by a jury of fashion and film professionals, including Esther Muñoz Grootveld, Sam Bassett, Pedro Oberto, Donald Gjoka, and Marcel Schlutt.

In addition to the award, Moussally received a cash prize of 1,000 euros. “Making a film is expensive,” the jury emphasised. A standard video already costs around 5,000 euros, while a short film can run into tens of thousands of euros. Despite the costs, Moussally underscores that you can also make a good film on a small budget: "All you need is creativity," they said.

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Born in Lebanon in 1987, Moussally moved to France at the age of 18 to pursue his passion for film. After earning a master's degree in fiction film at the University of Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée, he furthered his knowledge with a second master's in documentary and anthropological cinema at the University of Paris X Nanterre, under the tutelage of Jean Rouch. This combination of disciplines allowed Moussally to develop his keen observational skills, while his background in fiction provided an aesthetic visual language that gives his work a unique flair.

From 2012, Moussally began focusing on the fashion world, creating experimental films that gained international recognition. In 2015, he founded his production company H7O7, providing a platform for artworks that blend genres like fashion, documentary, and fiction. His work quickly garnered acclaim, winning over 50 awards and receiving 350 nominations at international festivals. In 2020, he founded Hybrid Wave, a collaborative of 30 hybrid artists from around the world.

Moussally’s film ‘Shame (عيب)’ struck the jury with its critical perspective on cultural norms. The story follows Salma Zahore, the main character, who embodies various roles reflecting societal expectations and constraints. As Zahore explores these boundaries of self-expression, the tension between personal freedom and social control comes to the fore. Set against a 19th-century Levantine-Arab backdrop, the film is shot vertically (9:16) to respect the visual style of that era. The use of AI-manipulated voices adds a modern element that underscores the timelessness of the themes addressed.

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“What is culture? What is masculinity? What is femininity? What is religious?” Moussally asks himself during the making of the film. By posing these questions, he attempts to break down the one-dimensional image of Arab identity and explore what it means to be oneself in a society that pushes for conformity. “As a queer Arab, I feel a responsibility to make this voice heard,” Moussally explained. “In Europe, where some politicians incite anti-Muslim rhetoric, representation is crucial.” He emphasises the importance for young Arabs to see themselves reflected in the media: “Many young Arabs don’t see themselves in films. It’s essential they know that queer Arabs exist and that it’s okay to be yourself.”

Moussally’s work transcends the boundaries of film and art: it is an activist call to action. He challenges both the fashion and film industries to embrace diversity and give space to underrepresented voices. In a world where representation can effect change, Moussally’s vision offers hope and empowerment. His message is clear: everyone deserves to be seen, valued, and celebrated, regardless of who they are.

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.NL, and subsequently translated from Dutch into English using an AI tool called Gemini 1.5.

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