NEWFEST
Out and Proud Gay Arab Love Story
Haaz Sleiman loves freedom to play character who’s a catch
BY GARY M. KRAMER
Out gay actor Haaz Sleiman
exudes charisma
— and displays palpable
comic anxiety — as Mo,
a heartbroken gay Muslim living in
the US in out gay writer /director
Mike Mosallam’s “Breaking Fast.”
This fabulous Ramadan rom-com
is based on Mosallam’s 2015 short
of the same name — which starred
different actors. Because the Holy
Month forbids impure thoughts
and activities, Mo is forced to practice
self-control despite his increasing
attraction to the Kal (Michael
Cassidy), an actor he meets cute
at a party one night and who joins
Mo to break his fast almost every
night thereafter. (And yes, Kal is a
“Superman” reference.)
Mosallam’s clever conceit allows
Mo and Kal to fall in love as their
relationship develops over numerous
Trauma, Clowning & Claiming Truth
Matthew Fifer’s romantic drama is “based on true events”
BY GARY M. KRAMER
Actor, co-writer, and codirector
Matthew Fifer
makes an auspicious
feature fi lm debut with
the potent romantic drama “Cicada.”
The fi lm, “based on true
events,” has Ben (Fifer), a white
man haunted by a childhood trauma,
embarking on a relationship
with Sam (co-writer Sheldon D.
Brown), a handsome and closeted
African-American guy who his
own complicated backstory. How
things progress in their lives and
relationship creates this absorbing
fi lm’s drama.
Fifer chatted about his fi lm in a
recent phone interview.
GARY M. KRAMER: This is a
very personal story. What informed
your decision to make this your
feature fi lm directorial debut?
Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy in MikeHaaz Sleiman Michael Cassidy’s “Break Fast,” which screens
October 16-27 at NewFest.
nonsexual dinners and dates.
But as the guys talk over meals,
alone or with friends, there are
discussions about how gay Arabs
Sheldon D. Brown and Matthew Fifer in “Cicada,” which the two actors wrote together and which Fifer
co-directed with Kieran Mulcare.
MATTHEW FIFER: Well, it’s
sort of the secret I never wanted
to tell. It was born more out of necessity.
I’m tired of seeing trauma
on screen for the sake of trauma.
COURTESY OF NEWFEST
reconcile their sexuality and their
religion. To Mosallam’s credit,
these moments are engaging and
enlightening, not didactic. Moreover,
COURTESY OF NEWFEST
The more I talk about it the more
people talk about it. I think that it
was a leap of faith. It came down to
my co-director saying, ‘You need to
play this part.’ This is the biggest
they balance out the charming
romance that develops as Mo
and Kal slowly fall in love.
The role of Mo provides a terrifi c
showcase for Sleiman’s comedic
talents. The irresistible actor not
only handles the verbal sparring
and fl irting well, but he performs
some physical humor too, such as
a slapstick scene involving a towel
that won’t stay on his waist.
However, the actor — who earlier
this year appeared in a dramatic
role as a gay Syrian seeking asylum
in Apple TV’s “Little America” —
initially had some concerns about
playing Mo. In a recent WhatsApp
interview, he said, “This was my
fi rst romantic comedy leading role.
I was worried about the comedy.
The humor was very specifi c, and
that was challenging. But I went
for it. I wanted to help Mike Mosal-
➤ BREAK FAST continued on p.27
thing I’ve ever done acting-wise.
KRAMER: Ben is fi rst seen being
a bit self-destructive. He also
cracks wise with Sam, which can
be frustrating for his partner. Can
you talk about creating and playing
the character?
FIFER: This is closer to my life
than I’d like. I feel very naked in
this fi lm in more ways than one.
I’m a bit of a clown and am always
getting into trouble. I felt if I was
intimate in any way it would lead
to questions that I didn’t want to
answer, so that’s my coping mechanism.
The scariest part of trauma
isn’t facing rejection but that it
becomes real once it comes out of
your mouth. It was pushing anything
real away and dealing with
intimacy with a quip or a joke.
➤ CICADA, continued on p.27
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