In This World

UK 2002, 88 minutes
Dir. Michael Winterbottom
In Persian, Pashtu, English with English subtitles
Rating: [M]
Genres: Foreign Cinema, Drama / Sociology

Aroview: A powerful, simply wrought story of two Afghani brothers who attempt to journey from their Pakistani refugee camp across Asia and Europe to London.

Shot documentary-style, with the occasional voice-over, this eschews plotted melodrama by concentrating solely on the frightening mechanics of 'people smuggling' and the fleeting friendships made on the voyage. Built around a winning performance from a young boy-actor (himself a refugee), this chiefly bears witness to his raw experience traversing vivid desert and urban landscapes. While perhaps missing a wider analysis, this remains impressively vivid and undoubtably relevant.

NZ International Film Festival 2003