Salvation Army

Abdellah Taïa/ 2013Salvation Army was the first of the two films which I saw, and it set the bar for other international films which I’ll watch in the future. Director, Abdellah Taïa presents a very raw piece, depicting a realist view of a young man battling hardships such as being gay in a community where it is not widely accepted, and also growing up in a household with domestic violence.The opening scene consists of Abdellah sneaking into his brothers room and examining his clothes and possessions. Throughout the film it is obvious that he idolises his older brother, although his brother seems quite passive in his ways towards Abdellah. Surprisingly, his brother takes Abdellah and his younger sibling on a small trip to the beach, but this results in a heart-breaking end, as he abandons them and leaves with a waitress they met earlier on the trip.We follow Abdellah’s journey through adolescence to manhood, as he copes with his family life and sexuality, being involved with a few secretive sexual liaisons, before finally receiving a student visa and moving to Geneva, Switzerland. The film ends with Abdellah finding solace in the Salvation Army shelter and eating a hot meal, causing us to wonder what lies ahead for him in his new life.When approaching the topic of domestic violence in the family home, Taia not only portrayed the father as an abuser, but also included scenes where he is shown as a loving father. When exploring the difficulties of growing up gay in a Muslim community, all meetings with lovers were held in secret, and oftentimes with older men whom seemed more concerned with the act of love, rather than the emotional bond that Abdellah sought. He eventually finds himself, and his independence in Geneva, where he is seen walking away from an older lover and taking a liberated stance on his life as he fends for himself.