Into Darkness

Mohamed is a little Moroccan boy who has very poor eyesight, due to a hereditary condition that ultimately leads to blindness. His family is poor and the future looks bleak for them, as another 10 family members are suffering from the same disease. One of them is Mohamed’s father, who has no choice but to go begging. He suffers greatly from the fact that his blindness means he cannot support his own family. Mohamed’s Aunt Naïma is also blind. She is studying in Marrakesh and hopes to earn a good living one day, but all her efforts come to nothing when it turns out that she can’t afford the study materials she needs. Mohamed’s sighted mother is the linchpin of the entire household. This short film is an intimate portrait of the family from Mohamed’s perspective – sometimes literally, such as when the image becomes blurred, as if the filmmaker wants us to see through Mohamed’s eyes. The young boy dreams of a day when his eyes will be better, but he lives in great fear of going completely blind. The family remains optimistic in spite of it all; their faith is strong, as are the ties between them. Using their scarce resources, they make the best of their lives.