Brotherhood (Ikhwène) is a short film, directed by Meryam JoobeurJason Sondhi, "Ikhwène (Brotherhood)". Short of the Week, October 2, 2019. and released in September 2018."Portrait de Regard: Meryam Joobeur". Voir, March 16, 2019. The film explores the tensions within a Tunisian family when the biggest son, who has been away for one year, returns home with a new Syrian wife who wears the full niqab, igniting his father's suspicions that his son has been working for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant."Tunisia takes a cinematic look at jihadists". The Economist, November 8, 2018. The film's title was chosen to reflect both the familial connotations of the word "brotherhood" and its use in the name of the controversial Islamist organization Muslim Brotherhood.
Production The film is set and filmed in the Sajnan region of northern Tunisia and the brother actors found while Joobeur and cinematographer Vincent Gonneville were scouting the area for a different project, crossing paths with the brothers in a field as they were herding their flock of sheep.
Release and reception The film premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Canadian Short Film."'Green Book' boosts awards season prospects with TIFF audience award win". Screen Daily, September 16, 2018. In December 2018, it was named in the TIFF's year-end Canada's Top Ten list."’Anthropocene’ tops TIFF’s top 10 Canadian films list". Canadian Press, December 5, 2018. At the 21st Quebec Cinema Awards in 2019, the film won the Prix Iris for Best Short Film."Ricardo Trogi, Debbie Lynch-White et Émilie Bierre: gagnants au Gala Québec Cinéma". Voir, June 3, 2019. The film received a nomination for the Best Live Action Short Film at the 92nd Academy Awards."Montreal-based filmmaker Meryam Joobeur gets Oscar nomination". CBC News Montreal, January 13, 2020.
Joobeur's feature directorial debut Who Do I Belong To (Mé el Aïn), premiering in 2024, centres on a similar scenario but features some key story differences, including changing the central character from a father to a mother.Eric Lavallée, "A Bond That Breaks: Meryam Joobeur’s “Motherhood” Readying For Festival Launch in ’23". Ion Cinema, June 20, 2022.
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MUBI