Short Film Showcases the Dangers Gay Men Face in Chechnya's Genocide

A new short film, created by digitalSTAGE, has been released to bring attention to the genocide of gay men in Chechnya. Titled Unchechen, the awakening clip tells the story of one victim, named Khamzat, who's story is based on details from the real life experiences of Chechen men who've escaped Russia's concentration camps.

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In the film, the process for capturing gay men is described as "a pyramid:" First, they bring the man to a detention center to interrogate, then they identify all the "unnaturals" in their phone, and then use they use him as bait to capture all the others. Once in prison, the gay men experience beatings, in many cases from fellow inmates because the Chechen soldiers don't want to touch another gay man.

"I'm sickened by what's happening in Chechnya, but, like a lot of people, I felt impotent," digitalSTAGE director Alex Markham told Attitude. "I wanted to do something immediate and practical to offer solidarity. I hope this film will get people donating to help some more of these men get to safety."

Watch Unchechen, below, and donate to Rainbow Railroad to help more Chechen prisoners escape.