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Extremism slices through a Tunisian family in writer/director Mohamed Ben Attia’s contemplative second feature, exploring a father’s realisation that his teenage son has become an ISIS fighter.
Co-produced by the Dardenne brothers, Dear Son may boast a ripped-from-the-headlines premise; however this naturalistic domestic drama delves beyond the surface of its topical subject matter, taking an intimate and personal approach to an incendiary situation – as ably assisted by actor Mohamed Dhrif in a potently poignant performance.
Dhrif plays forklift operator Riadh, who values one thing above all others: his only child. Alas, 19-year-old son Sami is suffering from migraines just as he’s about to sit his final high-school exams, leaving Riadh and his wife in a state of worry. Then, when Sami is suddenly missing one morning, they discover the true reason for the teenager’s withdrawn behaviour.
"Less about jihadi fighters than the loved ones they leave behind, wrestling with guilt and grief, shame and blame … a quietly absorbing tribute to the power of human resilience." – The Hollywood Reporter
