Blood Brother (Steve Hoover, 2013) India, USA

Reviewed by Jian Gedrick at Metro 4 Theater, Santa Barbara CA

“Blood Brother” was one of the films Roger Durling personally presented. This was one of his favorite films playing at the festival and he warned the audience that the film was very unsettling, but advised everyone to stay through  to the end because an extraordinary story dealing with human compassion, underlies the whole documentary. With this in mind this was one of the few times I waited for the start of the movie with mixed feelings of worry and excitement. The first scene captures a dying young girl being rushed to the hospital with her father in India. Noticeably, there are two white men helping rush the girl to the hospital, one of which drives the father and daughter on a motorcycle only to be blocked at a crossing by a moving train, where the girl slumps over, and the other man filming this incident is director Steven Hoover. The screen goes black for a moment and then shows the two Caucasian men sobbing at an Indian hospital. The conditions of the area make it clear this is a common occurrence.

Several months earlier in the U.S., director Steve Hoover is awaiting the arrival of his friend Rocky Kitten who has spent two years in India and is very excited for Rocky’s return. When Rocky finally arrives, Rocky doesn’t seem comfortable at home and quickly yearns to go back to India.  It is revealed that Rocky didn’t have the best upbringing. When living with his Mother and her abusive boyfriend he and his sister were the victims of physical and verbal abuse. He wast aware of his real father unit later in life when he was ten years and ended up not getting along with him. In the end his grandparents raised him and his older sister. After graduating and wondering with his life and Being dissatisfied with his life, he signed up for a program in India. Where he ended up being a volunteer at a refugee camp for abandoned HIV-infected women and children. Initially disliking kids, Rocky had low expectations about volunteering at the place but ended up staying there for two years after realizing he had found his ‘true home’.

Steve is willing to live with Rocky and document his new life with his new home and family for a few months. Upon his arrival the children are overjoyed as they see Rocky return back from the U.S.. They’re so happy to see him you wonder if Steve begins feeling left out, but the children happily introduce themselves. Excited to be in the presence of someone outside the refugee camp.

Steve attempts to capture the life at the camp by showing a montage of all the happy moments but in the end is dissatisfied saying to Rocky “you can’t capture the experience”. You would never  guess the kids are living with HIV when watching their happy moments at the camp. “Blood Brother” also documents the harsh realities of living with children dealing with HIV as well. The reality it shows is so stirring it makes this the only film at the festival which made me cry.

This is a documentary of a misfitted man finding his calling at a camp where only he and the cook aren’t infected with HIV. What’s interesting about Rocky is he doesn’t fit your description of the type of person who would fall in love with the Indian culture. He is someone who appears like someone with a condition on the autistic spectrum. To me he broke the stereotype of a spiritually- awakened guy who is a self-proclaimed hippy. Far from perfect he evens says that while he feels like a parental figure, he wouldn’t consider getting “the best parent of the year award”. He’s just an average guy which made the documentary more real to me and make me believe he’s someone that has mutually connected with fellow outcasts. Being a counselor, teacher, provider, doctor, and essentially a parent to these ignored children.

“Blood Brother” is a powerful story,  interestingly enough, I discussed the film with a woman who, while she hailed Rocky as a blessing and saviour to children in need, she didn’t think it was awell-made film. Whether you think the filmmaking is good or not. “Blood Brother” ultimately documents a touching story and makes it feel sincere, which was enough for me.