Alex & Ali

Director and writer Malachi Leopold set out to film an extraordinary story--the reunion of two men who had been in love for 45 years. Alex was a young U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Iran, and Ali was a young Iranian athlete. The men fell in love, and Alex stayed in Iran until the revolution forced him to go home. The documentary begins 35 years after Alex left Iran.

The men had kept in touch, and they decided that it would be possible--and safe--to reunite in Turkey. That should have been the documentary. Do the men still love each other? Do they find each other physically attractive? What about the fact that Alex is HIV positive?

Unfortunately, Ali came on the trip carrying documents that were confiscated by the Iranian authorities at the airport. He was allowed to travel to Turkey, but he faced possible prison and torture if he returned to Iran. What were his options, and which option would he choose?

That's the documentary that director Leopold ended up making. It's fascinating if you can step back from it. However, it's not a narrative film, so you can't step back. The movie follows the story as it played out, and we have no choice but to go along.

This is a tough, honest film. Only go to see it if you're ready for a hard, difficult, ride. We saw Alex & Ali as part of the truly wonderful ImageOut, the Rochester LGBT Film Festival. It will work well on DVD.