Un fils

Things take a virulently political turn in Un Fils (A Son) even though the father character utters in the first five minutes of this drama that he is not interested in politics. But that is exactly what the director wants to convey in this slow-paced investigative thriller which puts a Tunisian mother-father duo into a deep struggle when their son meets with an accident and is required an urgent liver transplantation, all at the light of political turmoil in the country. That politics takes interest in you and even travels with you inside your car when you are with your family even if you don't want it to. It is a story about the search for the truth where the characters are entirely human and capable of mistakes and where eventful pasts have now come back to haunt in the worst ways possible. A Son dwells on long shots and lots of symbolism where it puts the focus on the child and then erects mountains that are peaked by figures of mother and father. And then it asks you to do some guesswork until the climax which is slightly off the mark when you compare it with the first two acts. Charming performances by the actors and a passable depiction of familial struggle in times of medical crisis makes A Son a good watch. But not a great one due to a lack of technicalities, novelty, and a general sense of uneventfulness throughout. +1 for Tunisian cinema in 2019. TN.

(Watched and reviewed at its India premiere at the 21st MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.)

If you enjoy Asghar farhadi's films, then this is the right film for you. The script follows exactly the method of an unfortunate accident causing turmoil and chaos in a seemingly healthy family and then things start becoming interesting, secrets deeply buried surface, old forgotten grudges start to poke and so on.

Even though it's a directorial debut of Mehdi Barsaoui, The film is really well made, there are some scenes that you would only expect from masters of filmmaking. Without trying to spoil any parts of the story, my only issue was that the film puts finger on so many conflicts, whether political, cultural or religion related in a rather short runtime (96 minutes) and the inevitable is that many ascepts, some really important ones, are left out or just briefly mentioned. I think this is caused by the ambitious mentality of the director as he tried do to score as high as possible. Yet still this is a good film from a new voice.

Taiwan's 'Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival' featured this film in 2019, but I didn't see it until recently on the CinemaWorld channel. I was deeply impressed and feel it deserves full praise. The film skillfully weaves political, social, and cultural issues with the complex relationship between husband and wife. The writing, direction, and acting are all outstanding. I was especially moved by the scene in which the little boy, about to be forced to donate his liver, changes the husband's perspective on life and even love. The act of forgiving and forgetting can be challenging but it can only be achieved when one truly feels for others' struggles and difficulties.

This movie rekindled my faith in our local film society after two very lacklustre screenings. I was entranced from the very beginning by all aspects; excellent acting by all the main characters, depiction of local religious and traditional cultural beliefs and laws, a very realistic action scene, wonderful camerawork and photography particularly of the barren Tunisian country. The moral struggle by the father when faced with a desperate choice was striking. The portrayal of a most distasteful trade was confronting and it is to be hoped no longer happening. I was moved by this movie and it will stay with me for some time. This is the first Tunisian movie I have seen and the first directed by Marsa Barsoui, I look forward to more.

Also seen this film on the big screen at the Marrakesh film Festival, i really Liked it if you love Asghar Farhadi films this one is a must see.