FRATRICIDE

Germany, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Xevat Gectan, Gerai Celik.
Directed by Yilmaz Arslan.

This is very strong stuff and well worth seeing. Director Yilmaz Arslan migrated to Germany decades ago, but his concern about Turkish issues is still powerful. While the setting is Germany, the people are the Kurds. It is the Germany of Kurd migrants who have been sent by their families to earn money to send back to their impoverished homes. It is less the Germany of the Germans who do not seem to make up much of the world of the Kurds, negligent and oppressive authorities.

The focus of the film is a young man who has been financed for his trip by his brutal pimp brother and who earns some money as a barber operating in the toilet of a bar. He is a principled young man, especially when he encounters a young boy who needs guidance and protection. The film shows the bonds of friendship between these two with great sensitivity and feeling and gives a humane core to the rest of the grim story. The young boy, Ibo, is one of the most engaging screen presences and won an award at the Locarno festival.

Accidents happen simply as the result of casual taunts and lead to violence and blood feuds. They are steeped in the cultural and religious traditions of the homeland, vengeance begetting vengeance with little possibility for escape.

The film has some moments of visceral violence that will startle, but it is a film that makes a plea for attending to the cries of refugees and the poor.

1. A strong film – impact? For Kurds, Turks, for Germans? For worldwide audiences? Observation, criticism, conscience?

2. The realistic style of the film, in Kurdistan, in Germany? The insertion of the ritual for the feast? The animation sequence in the classroom? Blending the real with the touches of imagination? The musical score?

3. The narration by Ibo, his story, the death of the goat, his grandfather, going to Germany? His meeting Azad, his experience, the blood feud, the ending in Albania? Audiences identifying with Ibo as a strong boy, sympathetic?

4. Azad, in Kurdistan, the letter arriving, reading it for his father, the money? The decision that he go to Europe? His father’s illness, the farewell to his mother and sisters, their blessing? The advice on the truck leaving Kurdistan?

5. Germany as a land of promise, the goal of making money? The comments about losing soul, dying while still alive? The critique of German attitudes towards asylum seekers?

6. The interweaving of Ibo’s and Azad’s stories, coming together in gentleness, fierceness and violence?

7. Azad, his age, a good young man, in Germany, the cash handouts and welfare, being in the institution, the people in charge, the Kurdish spirit, independence and defiance? On the bunk, his meeting Ibo, automatically helping him, talking with him, allowing him to come for the haircutting, Ibo holding the mirror? Ibo and paying for the soup, the money found on the floor and Azad dropping it for him? Allowing him self-respect? The bond between the two, good company, Azad and his care and protection? The authorities in the shelter?

8. The two brothers and their pit-bull dog, its fierceness, on the train, Ibo afraid, the aftermath and Azad taunting them? Beginning the cycle of violence? The chance encounter in the street, Azad’s brother, the knife, the murder? Self-defence? Death and the beginning of a blood feud?

9. Blood feuds, in the Kurd community, the cycle and the impossibility of breaking out? The two brothers, the brother wanting to avenge, the confrontation with Azad and Ibo, the brutality of the rape of Ibo? Azad and his helplessness? The parents of the brothers, Azad visiting the shop, their unwillingness to forgive him? Azad and his decision to give his brother to the police, the celebration of the feast, his brother in prison, Azad hoping he was safe? The irony of his being murdered in prison? Azad going to the parents again, their forgiveness? His hostility towards the brother, telling the truth about Ibo? The parents and their rejecting their son out of horror? His wanting to come back, his mother giving him the job in the shop? Azad returning, cutting his throat? The dog, vicious, the father wanting it dead because of its causing his sons’ death, the symbol of the entrails and the symbol of the viscera? The irony of the brother’s entrails being taken from prison, the dog, its being shot?

10. The brother, the first glimpses, his inspection of the potential prostitute, his relationship with Olga? Violent and cruel? The stipulation to the women about fifteen minutes, their clients? On the job, the violent reaction to the woman who went over time, firing her? Getting money for his father, the operation? For bringing Azad to Europe? Azad and his not wanting anything to do with his brother, the encounter in the street, the brothers with the dog, the knife, the killing? The celebration of the feast, Azad and the betrayal? His relationship with Olga, suspecting her of betraying him? His link with the Kurds, with the Kurdish woman at the shelter, the preparation for a demonstration? His death, Azad not telling him the truth? The Kurds wanting to make a martyr of him? Azad and his rejection of this use of individuals?

11. Ibo, a good boy, the memory of his parents, the episode of their death, the bandits, photograph? The money and Azad, his relying on Azad, holding the mirror, the meals, walking? The brutality, the rape, his wanting it kept a secret, his planning to avenge it when he was grown up? His staying out all night, hiding in the toilet? Azad and his being beaten, unable to do the shaving, nicking the customer? Azad’s protection, saving him?

12. Azad and Ibo coming in through the dormitory, the girls, the attraction of the girl, the Easter celebration, the gift, the sexual relationship and the bond? The plan to go to Albania? Azad, wounded, going to the bus? The vision of the three at the back of the bus and Azad dead? The future and the girl looking after Ibo?

13. The background of Kurdistan, causes, poverty, asylum seekers, refugees? Azad’s criticism of those making politics of it in Germany? The woman, the man with the beard?

14. The children at the shelter, the welfare being handed out, the boys and the girls, getting the jobs, the hopes, sending the money home to families? The need for the children to go to school, Ibo going, the animation of the animals on the blackboard as they learnt their vocabulary? The rough boys, Ibo and his delivering the papers in the rain and the boy attacking him for entering his area?

15. The Germans, the audience not seeing many Germans, their not caring about the asylum seekers, the police, having documents…?

16. The brothers, the dog, their deaths, vengeance, rape, murders? Audience response to this kind of vengeance and morality?

17. The sketch of the brothers’ parents, the shop, the reaction to their sons’ death, the dog and the father giving the gun for it to be shot, his reasons for its cruelty to his son? His refusal to forgive Azad? The mother and her ousting him from the shop? The son, the truth about his rape, the father disowning him and sending him away, the son’s return, the mother giving him the job, his death?

18. The background of incidental characters, the Kurds, in the bars, in the barber’s, haircuts, on the street?

19. A universal message about humanity and need, poverty, isolation, refugees?