Simplicity amongst the weapons

This week we went to the opening night of a new movie - Son Of A Lion. This is a moving and engaging story set in the tribal region of northern Pakistan, home of the Pashtuns. The typical depiction of Pashtuns in contemporary media brands them as extremist terrorists and followers of Osama Bin Laden. This is not the case for much of the population including those in this simple story.

The synopsis goes like this

In the Pakistan tribal weapon making village of Darra Adam Kel, a young Pashtun boy defies his fathers expectations that he will carry on the family’s business and demands an education instead.

The movie was shot in secret by an Australian who was taken in by the local tribespeople and included in their life in a way that a conventional movie crew could never have been. The movie is completely authentic as it is shot during the normal life of the locals. This gives it a vaguely documentary feel, as does the handheld camera work (the only type camera that could be carried in and effectively hidden). The performances are touching as is the very simple lifestyle of the locals who live in mud huts with very little in the way of possessions.

In this weapon making village, where the tribes people have been making weapons for decades, people are constantly wandering out of their workshops and firing their loaded guns into the air to test them. This constant firing forms one of the recurring themes of the movie and is central to the unfolding of the plot. The soundtrack is also very good and would be well worth listening to on its own.

Highly recommended. sonofalion