Of Fathers and Sons

An unbiased, unprejudiced & unfiltered observation of jihadist life and how extremist ideology is passed down through generations, Of Fathers and Sons paints a brutally honest & unflinching portrait of children being brainwashed into following the path of hatred & violence by their own fathers, and it does so by capturing the everyday life of a radical Islamist family.

An undiluted portrayal of inherited Islamist fervour, the documentary achieves a rare first-hand access by thoroughly observing religious fundamentalism from up close & with an uncompromising lens. Although it focuses on jihadist fanaticism in Syria, the mechanics of it can be applied to any extremist movement out there, for the cycle of hatred, prejudice & violence always starts at home first before surfacing elsewhere.

As admirable as it is unshakeable, Of Fathers and Sons is essential viewing.

I watched this film in the Pune International film Festival 2019 with a group of 16 students. And everyone was just blow away after watching it.

There are many reasons for it but the foremost reason is the sheer honesty with which it is made. The director Talal just put the facts in front of the audience without taking any sides. He has painstakingly lived with an ISIS supporter & his family for two years and shown their life as it is. He is neither criticizing anyone nor praising anyone. And it leads us sympathizing with an ISIS supporter and their family. This sympathy doesn't mean we supporting ISIS & it's supporters but instead we feel sorry for them.

The film presents the naked face of any extremist movement. But at the same time it shows the movements' supporter as normal human being who are as mortal as anyone else.

And to me that is the victory of this film.

Not sure if insight is the right word.....a look at a world that remains foreign to Westerners - I have watched it a few times and tried to pick up small pieces of info and imagine how the view of the world is presented when growing up in that environment. The story for me presented a look at how the world looks from inside a family that has had the same views presented over generations - I did not try to analyze any political meaning...to me that is not what the film was about.

When you start with children...the hate will go on forever. Very enlightening...the depths people will kill in the name of God.

RHETORIC: The Meaning of the formal Rhetorical jihadist teachings in which they pervert Islam to suit their own views!

1 often disapproving : language that is intended to influence people and that may not be honest or reasonable absolutist/activist/racist rhetoric angry rhetoric See More Examples 2 : the art or skill of speaking or writing formally and effectively especially as a way to persuade or influence people (especially with the use of the Internet and other widespread social media technology).

A completely unbiased story - it takes no sides whatsoever - that took 2 years to make. It exposes the day to day teachings, of hate and murder, of an idiot, lowlife and uneducated father to his sons. We are shown how the next generation of, twisted Jihadist rhetoric, chauvinistic and future barbaric murderers are brainwashed from an early age (younger than 2 to 3 years of age). The twisting of a way of faith that - with each generation of children - will one day become so distant from the real teachings of Allah that, Islam will be a split faith like Christianity; when it separated into Catholics and Protestants.

Its a must see for all - especially non Muslim - people of the world, in so much as it will give them some sort of understanding of how, and why, we are all suffering from this barbaric brutality mindset - of a group of twisted evil Jihad men and women; distorting the true teachings of Islam to benefit their own wants, needs and greed!