Mohamed (Mohamed Grayaâ) is a shepherd who lives humbly with his family in his small house in Tunisia. But his daily life is turned upside down when Malek, his eldest son, returns home after going to Syria to fight. The situation is even more complicated as he returns with Meer, his new spouse, a mysterious young woman who wears full niqab. The reunion is unfortunately not a happy one. If the children and mother are happy to be reunited with Malek, Mohamed’s anger seems to be inextinguishable. And it might burn everything down.
This hard-hitting short film by writer/director Myriam Joobeur takes aim at the preconceived ideas the west holds towards the muslim world. What if the father was the true fundamentalist, even if he’s not as fervent a Muslim as his son? And what if patriarchy was hiding its true motives behind the mask of women’s liberation? Honest and authentic, if not raw, Brotherhood is definitely deserving of the numerous accolades it received. Joobeur shows real skill as a director, using close-ups to create a sense of anxiety and claustrophobia.
An essential film, if only to help us understand the world a little bit better.
