Of Fathers and Sons (Talal Derki, 2017): Germany | USA | Syria | Lebanon | Netherlands | Qatar

Film reviewed by Jackson Davis. Viewed at AFI Fest 2018.

Derki’s Of Fathers and Sons is a chilling film, as it follows the day-to-day of Abu Osama, a radical jihadist and Front member for Al-Nusra, and his eight sons. While the film begins with Derki’s commentary on how he posed as a jihadist-sympathizing photojournalist in order to film all this, little to no narration, or commentary is provided after. The following footage is so appalling and so far removed from the typical opinions of western audiences that no further commentary is needed. The only dialogue is that of the father, and the occasional words from his favorite, most devoted son Osama (named after that Osama).

The family lives together in a small concrete home in northern Syria. While no direct conflict is show during the film the remains of past battles can be seen no matter where the camera goes. The film will cut between Al-Osama doing his daily tasks: finding and disarming landmines, and his sons, either at military training or playing games (one of which consisted of them taking turns jumping on a homemade bomb).

While what Derki shows us isn’t completely unexpected, it’s hard to process when seeing it up-close and in such detail. Watching the kinds willing go to the training camp, where they are taught alongside live gunfire, is so jarring and unsettling, and yet is seen as expected of the boys. We start to see Al-Osama’s complex thoughts, even going through some of his agony with him, but we learn to understand, but not quite sympathize with the him.

Of Fathers and Sons is a film I highly recommend, as it helps to really open your eyes to whats happening out there. More so than a headline or a report, it show just how real  this all is.