LOS ANGELES — Kelly Madison Media’s “Women of the Middle East” has continued to garner widespread media attention, including a 200,000 spike in trailer views on YouTube after The Daily Beast recently embedded the trailer in an article interviewing the movie’s star, Nadia Ali.
“Women of the Middle East” embodies Kelly Madison Media and Nadia Ali’s stand on behalf of women’s sexual empowerment.
“I want to be a voice for women in the world,” Ali said in her interview with the Daily Beast. “Being in America, I can be a voice for Islamic women — someone has to be.”
Shot in 4K ultra-high definition, “Women of the Middle East” opens with the message: “For a Middle Eastern woman, veiling is not just a way to suppress her from having sexual freedom. It is a symbol for all of the human rights violations against these women, such as rape and domestic violence. Take the veils off.”
This opening message garnered headlines globally for Madison’s progressive stance on the Middle Eastern culture, which resulted in some calling the film one of the most controversial the adult industry has ever produced.
The film features porn performers in various types of traditional Middle Eastern veils engaging in hardcore sex scenes.
“We are proud to be a part of a movie that is promoting women’s empowerment and the women’s rights movement all over the world,” studio owner Kelly Madison said. “Women should be able to express themselves freely and shouldn’t be forced to obey religious, political, or patriarchal laws that restrict their freedom.”
Ali told the Daily Beast, “I am all about the women’s movement and want to help other women take a stand. Women should be able to do these things. I am doing porn as a Pakistani woman for the liberal movement, bringing women in a scarf or a head wrap to the camera.”
According to a study referenced in an article published by Fanpage.it, eight of the top tne porn-consuming countries have Islam as their predominant religion. Pakistan is number one, with Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Turkey following behind.
The reaction to “Women of the Middle East” has generated interest across the globe, earning headlines in numerous international markets. Some of the many sites covering the film have included Alo, Bulevar, SudPresse, FQ Magazine, Die Welt, Blick.ch and GQ Italia.
Ali believes that one can be Muslim and still appear in adult films.
Ali said, “I’ve been told, ‘You’re not a Muslim, you’re a disgrace to Pakistan. Pakistan won’t accept you.’ But I do come from a Middle Eastern background, and I am Muslim.”
“Women of the Middle East” was produced by PornFidelity, a studio owned and operated by Kelly Madison Media.
The film also features Arabelle Raphael, who is half Iranian and half Tunisian, as well as ethnic performers Nikki Knightly and Karmen Bella portraying Middle Eastern women in different veils, including hijabs, niqabs, and burqas.
Performing opposite of the women is director Ryan Madison in four different scenarios of domination and submission, as well as role reversals of traditional power dynamics. Each scene acts as sexual and cultural commentary in regards to the Middle East.
“Women of the Middle East” was released in 2015.