CANADIAN FEATURE DOCUMENTARY, MY ENEMY, MY BROTHER, ACQUIRED BY ALHURRA

Fathom is thrilled to announce that US-based broadcaster Alhurra, has acquired My Enemy My Brother from the film’s UK distributor, TVF International. My Enemy My Brother is a feature length documentary that tells the story of two former enemies from the Iran-Iraq War, who meet again by sheer chance and become blood brothers for life. Alhurra provides relevant news and information to the people of the Middle East and supports democratic values by expanding the spectrum of ideas, opinions, and perspectives available in the region’s media. Other Alhurra acquisitions include National Geographic’s Kissinger and Channel NewsAsia’s documentary North Korea’s Nuclear Bomb.

CANADIAN SCREEN AWARD NOMINATION: Best Cinematography in a feature length documentary

The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television announced the Nominees for the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards for film, television and Digital Media on January 16th, 2018. Out of the numerous excellent submissions received for the awards, we are thrilled to share the news that Duraid Munajim has been nominated for his stunning and thoughtful work on My Enemy, My Brother.

Duraid is a Toronto based cinematographer who has worked on a number of films including Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar-winning film The Hurt Locker. Born in Kuwait to an Iraqi father and an Iranian mother, Duraid was 17 years of age when he immigrated to Canada with his family. His credits are varied between documentary and fiction work, such as Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, the Oscar nominated short Buzkashi Boys, and a number of documentary titles, including What I’ve Lost (TIFF entry), Nest: Urban Painting (Rotterdam entry) and a number of TV documentary shows. He is working on a fictionalized version of the infamous Toronto 18 story, and developing a doc on Iraq’s oldest cinema.

The Canadian Screen Awards will be broadcast on CBC Sunday March 11, 2018 at 8:00 PM (9:00 PM AT/9:30 PM NT).

Canadian Ambassador to Germany Stéphane Dion remarks on My Enemy, My Brother

At a powerful screening and discussion about integration and inclusion of refugees in an immigrant society titled: We are neighbours, Ambassador to Germany Stéphane Dion included My Enemy, My Brother in his remarks:

"... the question that My Enemy, My Brother inspires to me to think about is the following: Is it possible, in the midst of extreme sadness, in face of the absolute horror, in the storm of war, to find a piece of blue sky, a ray of hope, trust in human kind?

Surely, we see these manifestations of hope in the courageous and heroic acts done by resisters and dissidents. One may find examples of these heroes in reading, for instance, Randall Hasen’s book, “Disobeying Hitler”, or in visiting, or revisiting, here in Berlin, as I did this past Saturday, the German Resistance Memorial Centre. 

What you will find in this museum is the same idea that we have seen so profoundly expressed in the film: there are many paths to resisting to the inhumanity of war." 

-- Ambassador Stéphane Dion

My Enemy, My Brother will have another European screening on December 8th in The Hague, Netherlands at Humanity House, hosted by The Canadian Embassy to the Netherlands, International Queer & Migrant Film Festival and Think-Film Impact Production.

My Enemy, My Brother featured in La Vanguardia

El gesto salvador del enemigo: dos soldados de la guerra Irán-Irak se reencuentran en Canadá 30 años después /  The gesture of saving the enemy: two soldiers of the Iran-Iraq war meet again in Canada 30 years later

María-Paz López (@lopez_mariapaz) of La Vanguardia.com writes about the power of humanity in times of conflict in an insightful article after the SOLD-OUT screening of My Enemy, My Brother at the Embassy of Canada to Germany event: We are neighbours - Integration into the immigration society in Berlin on December 5th, 2017.

"At TFIP we participate in film projects around positive social causes, so that they have the greatest possible social and political impact and influence the public beyond the cinema." - Danielle Turkov, Think-Film Impact Production

"In this story we see how humanity can overcome its political and religious differences; revealing the relationship between two former enemies, and showing that it is possible to heal and redeem." - Ann Shin, Director

My Enemy, My Brother will have another screening tonight in The Hague, Netherlands at Humanity House, hosted by The Canadian Embassy to the Netherlands, International Queer & Migrant Film Festival and Think-Film Impact Production.

My Enemy, My Brother wins Grand Jury Prize in San Diego!

TORONTO, ON (November 14, 2017) – Canadian feature documentary, MY ENEMY, MY BROTHER wins the Grand Jury Award at the 18th Annual SDAFF Awards Gala

Toronto film production company, Fathom Film Group is excited to announce the feature documentary, My Enemy, My Brother, has been awarded the Grand Jury Award at the 18th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival on Saturday, November 11th. A follow up to the Oscar shortlisted and Emmy nominated short documentary, from director Ann Shin, My Enemy, My Brother tells a surprisingly uplifting story from the Iran-Iraq war about two former enemies who met on the battlefield where one saved the other’s life. They meet again 30 years later by sheer chance, and embark on perilous journey back to Iran and Iraq in search of lost loved ones, a journey that will have dramatic consequences for both men.

For all the coverage of the Middle East, there are precious few stories delve into the depth of the impact of decades of the numerous wars and terrorist incursions in the area. My Enemy, My Brother is an incredibly unique window into the aftermath of Iran-Iraq War and how two men rose above their country’s political and religious differences. Against this backdrop the emotional story of Najah and Zahed is a surprising affirmation of humanity that cuts across political borders.

The San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF) is a San Diego’s premier film showcase of Asian American and International cinema. Founded in 2000, the festival has grown to become the largest exhibition of International Asian cinema in the United States. Each year, the festival brings World premieres from film around the world including North and South America, the Middle East, Asia, the Pacific Rim and South East Asia.

The feature film, My Enemy, My Brother, had its Canadian premiere at the 2017 Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival and will be theatrically released in early 2018.

Upcoming festival screenings:

November 21st and 23rd, 2017 – Bogazici Film Festival in Istanbul

December 14th and 16th, 2017 – Bahamas International Film Festival

February 22nd to 25th, 2018 – Boulder International Film Festival

The Globe and Mail - 'My Enemy, My Brother' 3/4 stars

"In the Toronto filmmaker Ann Shin’s poignant documentary, we meet Najah (an Iraqi) and Zahed (an Iranian), once young soldiers in the brutal Iran-Iraq War. The shooting has long stopped, but the wounds for both of them are open ones."

To continue reading, click here.

CTV News - Interview with 'My Enemy, My Brother' director Ann Shin

"The emotional true story about two men, who fought on the opposite sides of the Iran-Iraq War, now have one main thing in common: friendship."

To watch the complete interview, click here.

In the Seats review of ‘MY ENEMY MY BROTHER’- 4/5 stars

"My Enemy My Brother is a great story of two friends. Borders separated them in the past, but they aren’t now. And both need each other as they physically try to return to their homelands. Director Ann Shin captures their story compassionately, dealing with the specificity of the moral issues troubling and hindering both men."

To read the complete review, go here.

Toronto Film Scene: HOT DOCS 2017 REVIEW - MY ENEMY, MY BROTHER

"Director Ann Shin creates a meaningful portrait of what it means to be human in war. This film will strike a chord for viewers who are both critical and aware of the current social and political messages involved in the portrayal of the Middle East and Islamophobia."

"The doc acts as a message of hope and prosperity. Two enemies united together against all odds–political boarders and war."

To read the complete article, click here.

Real Screen: From foe to friend in “My Enemy, My Brother”

"The story of Zahed Haftlang, an Iranian child soldier, and Najah Aboud, an Iraqi conscript is now being told in the full-length feature film, My Enemy, My Brother, from Canadian director Ann Shin, premiering at Toronto’s Hot Docs Film Festival on April 29th, 2017."

To read the complete article, click here.