The Blood of My Brother: a Story of Death in Iraq

gives a raw and poignant account of the war in Iraq. Largely seen from the usually underexposed perspective of an Iraqi family, the camera shows mourning family members, but also shoot-outs between Americans and Iraqis. The central figure is the photographer Ra'ad, who was killed by the Americans in 2004 on the evening he opened his photo store. He worked as a volunteer guard at the Kadhimiya Mosque in the north of Baghdad. His death turned him into a martyr, a hero to those around him. His younger brother Ibrahim tries as best as he can to take over his role as the bread winner, but fails due to his boyish clumsiness. Director Andrew Berends also introduces American soldiers who confide their war experiences in the camera. Their stories contrast greatly with the vicissitudes of the mourning family and Ra'ad's close friends, who are filmed in style. Berends stayed in Iraq for six months and repeatedly filmed in the firing line. This makes his images highly compelling. Now and then, it is as if the viewer himself is being shot at in the war zone. The fights fuel the uncertainty about the future of Ibrahim, his family and the fanatical visitors to Kadhimiya Mosque.