Breaking Fast
{{Short description|2020 American romantic comedy film}}
{{Other uses|Break fast}}
{{No plot|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Breaking Fast
| image = Breaking Fast.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Mike Mosallam
| producer = Sarah Bazzi
Bay Dariz
Seth Hauer
Alex Lampsos
| writer = Mike Mosallam
| starring = Haaz Sleiman
Michael Cassidy
Amin El Gamal
Patrick Sabongui
| music = Omar Fadel
| cinematography = Anka Malatynska
| editing = Mike Hugo
| studio = Mike Mosallam Productions
Minutehand Pictures
| distributor = Vertical Entertainment
| released = {{film date|2020|03|07|Cinequest}}
| runtime = 92 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Breaking Fast is a 2020 American romantic comedy film, directed by Mike Mosallam and released in 2020.Andre Hereford, [https://www.metroweekly.com/2020/06/film-review-breaking-fast-is-an-engaging-gay-rom-com/ "Film Review: ‘Breaking Fast’ is an engaging gay rom-com"]. Metro Weekly, June 26, 2020. An expansion of Mosallam's 2015 short film of the same title, the film stars Haaz Sleiman as Mo, a gay Muslim doctor in Los Angeles who is emotionally closed off following a painful breakup with his former partner Hassan (Patrick Sabongui); on the first day of Ramadan he meets Kal (Michael Cassidy), getting to know him over nightly iftars.Bobby LePire, [https://filmthreat.com/reviews/breaking-fast/ "Breaking Fast"]. Film Threat, March 29, 2020.
The film premiered on March 7, 2020 at the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival;Randy Myers, [https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/02/25/cinequest-2020-here-are-15-films-not-to-miss-at-san-joses-big-film-fest/ "Cinequest 2020: Here are 15 films not to miss at San Jose’s big film fest"]. The Mercury News, February 25, 2020. due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was screened digitally by several LGBT film festivals through the next several months. It was picked up for commercial distribution by Vertical Entertainment in August 2020.Amanda N'Duka, [https://deadline.com/2020/08/vertical-breaking-fast-malcolm-goodwin-they-whisper-film-briefs-1203010597/ "Vertical Acquires ‘Breaking Fast’; Malcolm Goodwin To Star In ‘They Whisper’ – Film Briefs"]. Deadline Hollywood, August 12, 2020.
Cast
- Haaz Sleiman as Mo
- Michael Cassidy as Kal
- Amin El Gamal as Sam
- Patrick Sabongui as Hassan
- Christopher J. Hanke as John
- Rula Gardenier as Mama
- Veronica Cartwright as Judy
- Aline Elasmar as Muna
Production and Release
In February 2019, Deadline reported that Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy had been slated to star in Breaking Fast, a gay romantic comedy about a Muslim man living in West Hollywood. It was to be based on director Mike Mosallam's 2015 short film of the same name, which had screened at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. Amin El Gamal, Patrick Sabongui, Christopher J. Hanke, Brian Dare, Aline Elasmar and Veronica Cartwright were also announced as cast members.{{Cite web |last=N'Duka |first=Amanda |date=2019-02-08 |title=Haaz Sleiman & Michael Cassidy To Star In 'Breaking Fast'; Nicky Whelan Joins 'Trauma Center'; Fabien Frankel Lands Two Films |url=https://deadline.com/2019/02/haaz-sleiman-michael-cassidy-breaking-fast-fabien-frankel-lapham-rising-nicky-whelan-bruce-willis-trauma-center-1202552688/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
Mosallam decided to write the movie after a conversation with fellow screenwriter Michael Lannan, during which he realized there were no characters in movies or television who represented him.{{Cite web |date=2021-01-27 |title=I Made Breaking Fast Because No One Else Had Ever Told My Story |url=https://www.moviemaker.com/i-made-breaking-fast-because-no-one-else-had-ever-told-my-story/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=www.moviemaker.com |language=en-US}} He also intended for the movie to be a homage to classic romantic comedies, saying he envisioned the kind of movie that would star actress Julia Roberts "if, in fact, she was a gay, Muslim, Arab man living in West Hollywood, California.”{{Cite web |date=2020-12-16 |title='Breaking Fast' Follows Gay Muslim Man Looking For Love During Ramadan |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/breaking-fast-gay-ramadan-romance-trailer_n_5fda6578c5b6f24ae35cef79 |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}
In March 2020, the film made its debut at California’s Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival. It had subsequent digital screenings at other festivals such as Toronto’s Inside Out Film Festival and San Francisco’s Frameline.{{Cite web |date=2020-12-16 |title='Breaking Fast' Follows Gay Muslim Man Looking For Love During Ramadan |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/breaking-fast-gay-ramadan-romance-trailer_n_5fda6578c5b6f24ae35cef79 |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=HuffPost |language=en}} In August 2020, it was reported that Vertical Entertainment had acquired the North American distribution rights to the movie.{{Cite web |last=N'Duka |first=Amanda |date=2020-08-12 |title=Vertical Acquires 'Breaking Fast'; Malcolm Goodwin To Star In 'They Whisper' – Film Briefs |url=https://deadline.com/2020/08/vertical-breaking-fast-malcolm-goodwin-they-whisper-film-briefs-1203010597/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
In December 2020, the official trailer was released.{{Cite web |title='Breaking Fast' Trailer Celebrates a Gay Ramadan Rom-Com (Exclusive) |url=https://www.etonline.com/breaking-fast-gay-ramadan-rom-com-trailer-exclusive-157869 |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=Entertainment Tonight |language=en-US}} The film was made available digitally and on demand on January 22, 2021.{{Cite web |title='Breaking Fast' Trailer Celebrates a Gay Ramadan Rom-Com (Exclusive) |url=https://www.etonline.com/breaking-fast-gay-ramadan-rom-com-trailer-exclusive-157869 |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=Entertainment Tonight |language=en-US}}
Reception
=Critical response=
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}.{{Cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/breaking_fast |title=Breaking Fast |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango |access-date={{RT data|access date|df=iso}} }}
=Accolades=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Category ! scope="col"| Recipient(s) ! scope="col"| Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{Abbr|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| 2022
| GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release | Breaking Fast | {{Nominated}} | {{cite web |url=https://www.glaad.org/mediaawards/33/nominees |title=The Nominees for the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards |publisher=GLAAD |date=2022-01-21 |access-date=2022-01-22 }} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|9112712}}
- {{Rotten Tomatoes|breaking_fast}}
Category:2020 romantic comedy films
Category:2020 LGBTQ-related films
Category:American romantic comedy films
Category:American LGBTQ-related films
Category:LGBTQ-related romantic comedy films
Category:Films about LGBTQ and Islam