Down the rabbit hole we go.

In 2004, author Norma Khouri was accused of perpetrating a literary hoax of immense proportions. Khouri’s 2003 book Forbidden Love told the story of an honor killing in Jordan and helped raise public awareness about the horrific practice. From her home in Australia, Khouri became the face of a movement to move the UN and others to condemn honor killings and to urge countries to put an end to the practice. As it turned out that Khouri was not who and what she originally seemed, doubts and explanations multiplied into a fog of suspicion and confusion. Was this a case of literary license, cynical exploitation, or something else entirely?

Anna Broinowski’s terrific film, Forbidden Lie$, looks at Khouri’s story, and attempts to untangle the many threads–fact, fiction, con, hoax, art–that surround Khouri, her book, and her detractors. Khouri is a strong presence in the film, and her interactions with the filmmaker raise new questions, spin new stories and result in a trip to Jordan where Khouri attempts to prove her veracity.

Khouri is mesmerizing, but is it the passion of an activist or the seduction of a con artist that draws us in? A running poll on the film’s website shows that opinions continue to differ. Wander into the tangled web and make up your own mind!

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As always, the disclaimer applies: This is a festival to which I have a substantial connection. I have volunteered for the past two years and sat on this year’s Selection Committee. I wrote for the festival catalog and will likely be introducing some of the filmmakers and subjects at the festival. Feel free to adjust for my bias. My blog reportage and opinions, however, do not represent the views of AFI or the SILVERDOCS festival, the Selection Committee, or of any of their staff. No one should construe anything expressed on this site as being endorsed or supported by AFI, SILVERDOCS or anybody other than me.