Wow; something different than the 4 effeminate gay friends looking for love in the club? Two closeted Muslim teens have no idea they are under FBI surveillance. A new independent film titled Naz & Maalik tells the tale of two younger generation homosexuals. Yet again we have another example of a non-ethic or white film maker taking a chance and being creative by telling a unique story about black gay men. Strangely something that black gay film makers rarely seem to be able to accomplish.
Naz and Maalik spend their Friday hustling the streets of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. While deciding whether to tell their community about their homosexuality, Naz and Maalik’s ambiguous and secretive relationship unknowingly sets an FBI agent on their trail. As the agent grows convinced that the boys are engaged in “violent radicalism,” her pursuit becomes increasingly menacing and the stakes surrounding the boys’ hapless hustling and lies grow. What began as a struggle to protect their sexual identities evolves into a crisis much larger a fight to stay alive.
Currently in post-production Pecking Wilds is about $10,000 away from the $35,000 Kickstarter goal. You can show your support by making your donations here. Check out the trailer for Naz & Maalik below and tell us what you think.
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This looks so amazing! I remember how I felt when I learned that the FBI agents were keeping such close eyes on ANYONE that was Muslim. After 9/11, I can remember being in middle school and seeing how Americans would view Muslim people and how negative their opinions were of them. But hell yeah I’m about to make a donation to this project.
Low-key: I was hoping to see them be a bit more intimate but I will keep my hopes up that the final product with show that lol. #hormonesraging
interesting ….refreshing and stimulating. Hope the goal is reached. Wish the other ‘indie films’ pay attention to how a film is made using a small budget , good content and non marquee actors..hint, hint …skyfall….ooops ..sorry
Not interested in anything related to religion unless it involves exposing it for the dangerous hate filled sham it’s become through my eyes. And “Gay and Muslim?” lol for realz? The cognitive dissonance created by the pairing of those two words can cause an aneurism.
They are obviously smart and talented young men, but I cannot support this project in good conscious.
I think you should reconsider. I’ve spoken, myself, about what happens when young people are exposed to religious indoctrination at an age when they are incapable of thinking for themselves. But it doesn’t seem like this project is about indoctrination. It’s more about the art of film making. I just wish a brotha was the one making it.
@rolandgarros28 – I understand your point about the “art” being found beneath the rubble. But my resistance to certain subject matter does not deny the talent found within it… I feel the same way about ‘artists’ like J Cole and Tyler the Creator. They have “talent” but I refuse to support the way in which they use it.. Religion and Homosexuality should always be displayed with the color of contradiction. JMO
I agree with you on this. I have a negative reaction to this on so many levels. 1 If these young men had been in a Muslim majority country they would be executed. Yet we are supposed to feel sorry for American Muslims because the FBI and other spy agencies are snooping on them? Welcome to the real America. 2 Islam was spread through Africa at the point of a sword and Arabs were the first to profit from the African slave trade before whites muscled them out of the racket. Blacks especially black gay men should reject this barbaric slave religion which is one of the sources of our oppression. The 3 stooges, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism are the primary reason why there is still a great deal of hostility and violence directed at same sex attracted people. The sooner we do away with these savage middle eastern mythologies the better off humanity will be.
Good luck man if you think you can do away with any religion. It ain’t going nowhere no matter how much you and @BlackPegasus despise it. You’re going to have to learn to exist in this world with believers and not drive yourself bonkers. Again, there are religious people who are very respectful of and accepting of homosexuality and believe in equal rights. Not all religious people are hostile towards us. My sympathy for these two young men in the clip is based on the fact that they may have a hard time living their own lives without harassment.
I have no illusions about my own power free the world from Hebrew mythology. I’m just one man. However I am encouraged by the fact that in the developed world the numbers of nonbelievers have been steadily rising. Like I said, I despise religion on many levels not just in relation to my sexuality, but on a racial and most importantly on an intellectual level. I just find the premise of monotheistic religion and the concept of an “almighty god” to both stupid and obsolete. I will admit I do think the idea behind the film is much more compelling the normal “gay themed” movie. But it still leaves me scratching my head as to why so many of us chain ourselves to religions that are our enemy. It would make more sense for us to withdraw our consent to be ruled by these archaic and barbaric beliefs. Yes I do realize humans don’t always do things that make sense.
Umm…it’s a film! I think everyone should have a few seats n see what the final product is talkin about.
I think most grown azz gay men know religion is a crock of shit (no disrespect to those unfortunate believers), but they all crucify us for thinkin the next man is fly. No time…
Not that it’s relevant to THE FILM, in any way, but I pray all the time, to who/whatever wakes me up everyday. NO.BOOK.NECESSARY.
@SB3000, I’m praying that you’ll change your avatar back. This thing is giving me the creeps. LOL I vote to have your own picture put back up.
O YEA??? U vote for my pic, but Ive never seen YOUR pic?!?! Last time I checked u weren’t the 1st black Kentucky Derby champ! Jus sayin..(n dont sleep becus ur boy knows a lil history) lol
You got it partially right. He wasn’t the first but the fact that you knew he was a jockey gets points in my book. LOL Now that someone has guessed correctly, it’s time for me to change it and it won’t be a picture of me just yet @SB3000. You have to wait a lil bit longer for that. You the sucka to put yours up first and I repeat, it was a nice picture. LOL
SMH……………….
But thanks ………………………………………………………………………..
(Im adding all this extra sht so that they dont tell me my comments is too short…I blame @nick )
I hate when ppl just comment, “LOL”
Yea, but Im supposed to get a pass…thought I was special around these streets…smh
LOL! The homie @SB3000 said that shit! We gotta stop getting so butt hurt every time someone mentions anything about religion… It prevents us from thinking critically about what the hell is really being said…
Here are some thoughts/inquiries that this movie seems to be working from:
Could the film be alluding to the point that because of their religion they’re forced into a such secretive relationship?
How/why is it that religions and the government make terrorists out of gay people?
How has our culture/society/government established panoptic surveillance systems as a way of keeping tabs on our identities?
With most artistic works, there’s a bigger fish being fried here… Namely, the way we have internalized society’s ‘all knowing eye’ causing us to keep our true identities under wraps… i.e. “everyone will find out about me, so I better stay in this closet and keep my shit low key…”
Lets stop the knee-jerk reactions, give these niggas 5, 10, maybe 20 dollas, sit back and watch what they have to say…
Hell, aint nobdody else tryna make nothing decent to watch nowadays, so lets support muh fuckas that really got summin to say…
The team that is making the project asked for votes and support over at…
http://www.indiewire.com/article/vote-for-project-of-the-week-will-it-be-absent-naz-wildcats-or-stay
This looks like a cool movie, telling a good story that not being told about black gay men. I going to check out the Kickstarter and give them some support.
Congrats… Naz and Maalik reached their kickstarter goal.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1778695912/naz-maalik/posts?page=2
I’m so excited and can’t wait for the final product!!!
Another file to add to my list.