“When This Land is Your Land”

A brief film review of “My Motherland”
by Mountain Shadow Director, John Bennison

“The rebel has the courage to resist which gives him freedom.”
- French philosopher, Albert Camus

Some films begin with the disclaimer (or warning!), “Based on a true story.” That’s when some viewers may immediately prepare themselves to put the film to a test; questioning how accurate, factual or credible the cinematic version of the story may be to the original one.

On the other hand, I’m of the opinion that every good cinematic endeavor should be based on what is authentically true to our human experiences. In either case, I believe our film selection this month meets either measuring stick. The filmmaker speaks to this point in the interview excerpt provided, as well.

Filmmaker/author Benoit Cohen based his film on his 2019 book, “Mohammad, My Mother & Me.” While the film is partly biographical -- with some degree of dramatic license taken -- it is also justifiably relevant and topical to the world we all inhabit today.

In the film script, a worker at a refugee settlement office in Paris utters this line: “We position ourselves for or against refugees, never with them. We mustn’t think vertically, but horizontally. Think exchange, not charity.”

And, at the film’s end, it’s not the actor playing a part, but instead the real Mohammad who enjoins the viewer to consider the truth to his story:

“When you’re from a worn-torn country you’re like a piece of wood. Dry. Nothing to offer. You can only receive. Let’s think. We must all live together. It’s inevitable. If we leave refugees weak and dry, our society will be weak and dry. If we give refugees the chance to be strong, our society will be stronger. They’ll add value to it. Actually, coming together is like a long-term investment.”

This film was enthusiastically appreciated by our audiences. jb