Of Fathers and Sons

After his Sundance award-winning documentary Return to Homs, Talal Derki returned to his homeland where he gained the trust of a radical Islamist family, sharing their daily life for over two years. His camera focuses primarily on the children, providing an extremely rare insight into what it means to grow up with a father whose only dream is to establish an Islamic caliphate. Osama (13) and his brother Ayman (12) both love and admire their father and obey his words, but while Osama seems content to follow the path of Jihad, Ayman wants to go back to school. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for World Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, Of Fathers and Sons is a work of unparalleled intimacy that captures the chilling moment when childhood dies and jihadism is born.

"An admirably audacious feat of documentarian access... a glimpse into the gradual radicalization of young males and the deep community ties which underpin the process." – Neil Young, The Hollywood Reporter

"A chilling look at extremism on its home front. A vital addition to the cultural picture of the Syrian conflict." – Daniel Schindel, The Film Stage

"Clear, vivid and unshakeable. An intrepid, cold sweat-inducing study of Jihadi radicalization in the home from celebrated Syrian docmaker Talal Derki... adeptly blending sensationalism with domestic intimacy, and sincerely eye-opening in its portrayal of inherited Islamist fervor." – Guy Lodge, Variety

Awards
Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award – Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

Grand Jury Prize, World Documentary – Sundance Film Festival

Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award, Honorable Mention – Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

IDA Awards – Best Documentary, Best Writing (Nominee)

Cinema Eye Honors – Best Documentary, Best Direction, Best Production (Nominee)

Spirit Awards – Best Documentary (Nominee)

European Film Awards – Best Documentary (Nominee)

AMPAS members admitted with valid membership card, subject to seating availability.