“If you could screw your way to self-love, every gay man would be Gandhi.”
That hilarious line speaks to the heart of Mysterious Ways, a Kiwi indie drama that examines the frequently fraught intersection of queerness and spirituality.
From director Paul Oremland, the film takes audiences to small New Zealand town, where the well-liked, white vicar—a.k.a. reverend—Peter (The Tragedy Of Macbeth‘s Richard Short) is ready to take the next step with his Samoan boyfriend, Jason (Nick Afoa a former rugby player and musical theater performer making his film debut).
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In their fiercely religious and majority Pacific Islander community, being gay is still seen as a taboo, though Peter’s Anglican church operates with more of an informal “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. According to Oremland, “The official church position is gay clergy are forbidden to have sexual relationships and a church marriage for gay couples is prohibited.”
Suffice it to say, when the couple announces their plans to have a traditional wedding, they find themselves at the center of a media firestorm that puts their relationship—and their faith—to the test.
With protestors frequently gathering outside the church, Peter works with the young, genderqueer Billy (newcomer Joe Malu Folau) to organize a drag show to push back with pride. Meanwhile, Jason, a teacher, is having a crisis of conscience, and finds himself lashing out at the ones he loves.
“A film where God is on our side would have meant so much to me when I was younger,” the director says in a press statement. “In Mysterious Ways we have a modern love story experienced by millions of people around the world yet rarely seen on our screens. And the idea that God might bless a gay union, is both subversive and hugely symbolic. It also, on a personal level, brings me full circle in a wonderful way that I never imagined possible.”
What’s also notable is the spotlight the film shines on Folau’s Billy, a character who identifies as fa’afafine. Seldom represented in media, fa’afafine is recognized in Samoan culture as the “third gender”—those who are are assigned male at birth, but embody both masculine and feminine gender traits.
Recently, the Taika Waititi-directed sports comedy Next Goal Wins featured fa’afafine actor Kaimana as the trailblazing, Samoan soccer player Jaiyah Saelua—recognized as the first openly trans/non-binary athlete to compete in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.
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Saelua’s story is featured prominently in the soccer comedy, “Next Goal Wins.”
And while Next Goal Wins was a powerful, well, win for representation, Mysterious Ways presents an opportunity to more directly address issues confronting the fa’afafine community today, especially as it confronts the nexus of modern-day religion and traditional Samoan culture.
Mysterious Ways actually received a digital release earlier this year courtesy of Ariztical Entertainment—the team behind the iconic Eating Out rom-coms—but a new trailer for its U.K. release via Peccadillo Pictures brought it to our attention, and it’s well worth checking out.
The film is now available for digital rental or purchase via Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. You can watch its latest trailer below:
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