522951
522951

Cornered in Molenbeek

2018-04-27 en 54m
Mainstream media have described the Brussels district of Molenbeek as the "jihad capital of Europe," after several suspects in the terrorist attacks on France and Belgium were revealed to have been recruited from its large Muslim community. In the heart of this troubled neighbourhood, Coiffure Zaïdi, a barber shop sitting just opposite a mosque, serves as a meeting place for locals of all ages. This is where award-winning director Sahim Omar Kalifa installed his camera, capturing casual conversations between clients of North African origins. As shocked and dismayed by recent events as anyone else, they discuss unemployment and failed integration, immigration policies and government surveillance. With a fly-on-the-wall approach to these animated debates, and a keen, humanizing eye for the most significant details, Kalifa composes a charming and vivid tableau of a population continually stigmatized and circumscribed by media stereotypes.

Director

Sahim Omar Kalifa

Producer

Bart Maes

Writer

Sahim Omar Kalifa

Writer

Bart Maes

Cinematography

Carl Rottiers

Editor

Stijn Deconinck

Status

Released

Countries

    Companies

    • Zonderling