Amal Bedjaoui
France 2003 35mm 58min. french o.v. english s-t.

A haunting exploration of the emotional gulf between a father and son, Un Fils centres on Selim, a darkly handsome male prostitute who spends his evenings hustling in Parisian clubs and weekends visiting his widowed father. Selim yearns for a close relationship with his father but their visits together are marked by long silences and superficial conversation with neither man able to open up to the other. In an attempt to heal the rift between them, Selim offers to pay for the back surgery his father desperately needs but he is met with further rejection. When tragedy strikes, personal truths are uncovered that finally bring father and son closer together. With Un Fils, Bedjaoui has crafted a subtle and understated film that captures two men’s inability to communicate each other, even when it’s most important. – SF