‘Brotherhood’ (2019) Is A Beautifully Intimate Story – Movie Review

From Meryam Joobeur, the director of Born in the Maelstrom (2017) comes Brotherhood (2018), a short film on the short list for the 2020 Academy Awards for Best Live Action Short film. The film stars a mainly amateur cast including Mohamed Grayaâ (Eli Lik Lik 2018), Salha Nasraoui (Dementia 2006) and newcomers Malek, Chaker and Rayene Mechergui.

Synopsis:

Mohamed is deeply shaken when his oldest son, Malik, returns home after a long journey with a mysterious new wife.

The film takes place in Tunisia, where Mohamed and his family (played by three real-life Tunisian siblings) live quiet lives, raising sheep in the countryside. His son, Malek, returns from a year of fighting in Syria with ISIS, bringing with him his young, pregnant Muslim bride, Reem. Mohamed is still angry about Malek leaving the family and turning to a radical lifestyle. He is also deeply concerned about Reem’s age, and whether or not Malek took advantage of her.

This is a short but beautifully intimate film. The sweetness and warmth that the brothers and mother show each other is in stark contrast to the cold responses they receive from their father. Mohamed regards him with a mix of suspicion and despair, not knowing how to treat his son’s return. The sad truth is that there is no place in their society for the newly returned jihadists. Malek is sick of fighting and just wants to live peacefully, but his father may not allow that.

Brotherhood is a film more felt than acted. It feels like we are intruding on the family the entire time. The relationship between the three boys is especially wonderful during a visit to the beach, where Malek begs his younger brother never to go to Syria. Every bit of the scene – the wind, the sea, the close up of the faces – is painfully, ominously beautiful.

I cannot recommend Brotherhood more. It’s a stunning work of genius.