'Sheikh Jackson' moonwalks into Toronto film festival

Toronto : Egyptian director Amr Salama pays homage to the late Michael Jackson in his new film "SheikhJackson," a tale of how a young imam struggles to reconcile his desire to be a better Muslim with his love for the King of Pop.

The film -- which landed a spot as Egypt's Oscar bid for best foreign film Tuesday  -- is based loosely on Salama's own life as a former orthodox Muslim whose obsession with the flamboyant popstar caused him a crisis of faith.

It takes audiences back to the day the Gloved One died on June 25, 2009, and shows them how it sent a former devotee into a tailspin.

Jackson's death stirs childhood memories in the film's lead character Khaled, making him question what it means to be a man and being true to oneself.

"This film is a turning of the page on so many obstacles in the road (in my life) in terms of identity and faith crises," Salama said in an interview with AFP ahead of the film's Friday premiere at the Toronto film festival.

Although many older conservatives and orthodox Muslims in the Middle East may have despised Jackson during his lifetime as "a freak, the guy who changed his color," Salama said he was wonderstruck when he first listened to his music.

"He was a poor black kid who grew up to be one of the most famous people in the world, his music crossed borders," he said.

Salama recalled how the father of a friend who introduced him to Jackson's music "gave him (the friend) hell for liking Michael Jackson." 

"My own father was also not happy about me listening to Michael Jackson," he added. 

Ignoring their disapproval, Salama said he read and learned everything he could find about Jackson, who influenced his clothes, his hair, and his world outlook (as suggested by song lyrics). Those are Salama's feet doing the moonwalk in the film.

Later in his twenties, however, "I became religious and overwhelmed by the guilt of not being good enough in the eyes of God," he said.