Award-winning director Dr. Kamran Qureshi's groundbreaking new film Only Love Matters is making history as the first cinema feature with intersex lead characters set in Britain. Spanning India and the UK across different time periods, Only Love Matters chronicles the inspirational triumph-over-adversity story of Sam, an intersex girl raised as a boy in an Indian village who later achieves great success in Britain.
"I wanted to bring an authentic intersex perspective to the big screen that has rarely been seen before," said Dr. Qureshi. "There are still so few films that tackle intersex issues in a complex, meaningful way, so it was crucial to portray Sam's journey with great care and insight."
The film's powerful narrative has already resonated during its screenings at renowned academic institutions, including a notable presence at the Southampton Film Week scheduled for November. Its impact began with the world premiere on October 6th in Marbella, Spain, followed by the UK premiere on October 27th at the prestigious BFI in London. These events have set a strong foundation for the film's upcoming release in theaters and on Video on Demand platforms.
BBC has recently covered Only Love Matters, and you can find their coverage here:BBC TV Report
Only Love Matters features fantastic performances from its principal cast including Sara Faraj as Sam, Josh Simpson as Sam's husband Darren, and Emma von Schreiber as their adopted daughter Stef. With no gratuitous sex scenes or nudity, Only Love Matters aims to appeal to a wide general audience.
The production team overcame numerous obstacles during the challenging shoot, with filming taking place across over 40 stunning locations in the deserts of India and various sites across the UK. "Securing financing was one of our biggest hurdles since intersex stories are still seen as taboo," explained producer Iram Qureshi. "But thanks to our incredible cast and crew who believed in the film's powerful message of equality and inclusion, we succeeded in bringing this important story to life."
Since its festival premiere earlier this year, Only Love Matters has already garnered over 30 awards including Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Actress and Best Original Message. Dr. Qureshi's extensive research into intersex issues and experiences helped inform the nuanced script and remarkable performances.
Only Love Matters stands out in the landscape of contemporary cinema for bringing intersex characters into the mainstream in an honest, non-sensationalized way. With the United Nations calling for a ban on medically unnecessary and irreversible infant intersex surgeries, the film's message championing consent, understanding and human rights is striking a chord with audiences and critics alike.
Dr. Qureshi passionately believes that Only Love Matters will open the door for more big-screen intersex stories. "If we treat these characters with the same respect and empathy as anyone else, intersex can absolutely become a commercially and critically successful subject," he said.
With upcoming theatrical and VOD releases, Only Love Matters is set to make significant waves in the industry and culture. Don't miss this groundbreaking romantic drama that's winning over audiences and critics - a milestone in intersex representation.
For more information, visit onlylovemattersmovie.com.You can see the Only Love Matters official trailer here.
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