Mixed Kebab

By: Kelly Burkhardt
In-House Review - Oct 22 2012

Happily filled with contradictions, tall, dark and handsome Bram lives a mysterious life in Antwerp that is very different from his conservative, religious upbringing. By day he is the dutiful son and brother, but by night he is a casual dealer partying around town and hanging out with the very cute Kevin. Rumors fly around the neighborhood about Bram's "inclinations," so his father lays down the law that his eldest son needs to be a role model for his younger brother Furkant who's a hoodlum turned Islamic fundamentalist. Subsequently Bram flies off to Turkey to meet his future wife (who happens to be his cousin), but not without bringing his newfound friend with him. The platonic friendship with Kevin rapidly turns to a seductive love affair that will shake up everyone's old-fashioned values! At the center of Mixed Kebab, director Guy Lee Thys paints a rich picture of how race and class affect a simple thing like love in today's society and that courage and tolerance ultimately triumph over all.

By: Balagan

By: Jaime

This is a great movie with great direction, acting, script, scenery with a modern message about a gay romance in the entanglement of the modern world and the threats to love as the ancient world and ways threatens. The threats are sometimes violent Muslim ones with people clothed in robes pretentiously preaching what they call God - a figment of their imaginations. Religion is the curse of the modern era and in Mohammad or Jesus could see it now they would shit they way people carry on in their names. Good old basic love lives and prevails in this I am so glad I saw it movie. I will keep an eye on gorgeous Cem Kannanat and Simon Van Buyten. They are believable and wonderful together and the scene in the Turish bath is so erotcic without being pornographic. It is a sweer love these men communicate in such a wonderful way. There should be more gay movies with love stories so well done as this one.

By: Tom B

I found the film fascinating and thought-provoking. The love affair between Bram & Kevin is at the center. How does a gay Bram fit with his homophobic family? How does a gay Kevin fit on a trip to visit Bram's bride-to-be in Turkey? How does Muslim culture fit in modern Belgium?

The physical DVD had some issues, such as getting stuck in the opening trailers. (No way to get to the menu quickly, for example.) Then when I played the extra features I couldn't get back to the movie unless I opened & re-loaded my DVD player. But I did get through the film and loved it. I've had good experiences with returns using TLA before so I don't doubt that if I had to return the disc I could have.

By: Amos Lassen

Bram (Cem Akkanat) is filled with contradictions. He is a bar fly and a small time dealer in Antwerp, Belgium and he is in the closet at home. His family is Turkish and Muslim and because of that he must be careful about his sexuality, especially around his younger brother, Furkant. Bram and his best friend, Kevin (Simon Van Buyten) go to Turkey to visit and attend Elif's (Bram's cousin) and Bram's arranged wedding. However, before the wedding while in the shower with Kevin, both men realize that there is something special between them.

The look at Muslim family traditions is fascinating and even though the film deals with a Muslim family, the theme of a closeted gay male because of tradition is universal. The cinematography is lush and gorgeous and the film mixed comedy, romance, intrigue and religious/cultural tensions. The film will be shown at this year's Frameline film festival on opening night.