In 1977, a young Peace Corps volunteer named Alex stared out the dusty back window of a silver BMW. As the car pulled away, his lover, Ali, stood in the middle of the street, waving goodbye. The car picked up speed, turned a corner, and Ali disappeared from sight. Alex turned around, blinked, and stared at his hands. The hands which had just moments before embraced the love of his life as they said goodbye. When would their hands touch again? Would they ever? Through tears, he stared out the window, watching the city of Tehran speed by. The Iranian revolution was drawing near, and he had no choice but to leave. To leave the only man who had ever truly loved him. His heart was breaking.
Left Brain/Right Brain Productions is pleased to announce the launch of its next feature documentary project, I Am the Water, You Are the Sea, to be directed by Malachi Leopold. The documentary will tell the true story of two lovers: Alex, an American Peace Corps volunteer; and Ali, an Iranian Muslim. The two have been separated for nearly 35 years. In 1967, while Alex was working with the Peace Corps in Iran, the two met, fell in love, and kept their relationship secret for 10 years. With political unrest escalating, and the Iranian revolution fast approaching, Alex was forced to leave Iran – and Ali – in 1977. The two haven’t seen each other since.
But now, for the first time in 35 years, they are going to be reunited. I Am the Water, You Are the Sea will document their reunion, in addition to telling the incredible true story of their forbidden love in Iran in the 60’s and 70’s.
After successfully completing a Kickstarter fundraising initiative during Pride 2011 (June 1 – June 30 2011), we are now raising additional funds from online donations and private donors, which will allow us to accompany Alex to a secretly chosen site in the Middle East where the two lovers will finally be reunited after nearly 35 years of separation.
We invite you to help us tell their incredible story, and inspire people around the world to believe that there is nothing that can keep us apart – not distance, not time, religion, politics, war, fear – nothing that can stand in the way of being who we truly are. Nothing that can stand in the way of loving who, what, when, where and how we want.
