«A true Muslim does not shake hands with a woman.»
Ahmed is thirteen. But childhood games are over. No more Playstations, no more posters, no more nonsense. From now on, it's faith that's taken over. Ahmed wants to be a true Muslim. He radicalizes, as they say. Only the words of his imam count; only his cousin is worthy of veneration, because he's gone off to die as a martyr on the front line with the Islamic State. Ahmed wants to take action himself, by trying to assassinate his Arabic teacher, Madame Inès, who is too liberal in his eyes. Unsuccessful, he enters a detention center. But the ideology continues to follow him.
Young Ahmed is a minor film by the Dardenne brothers. Even if the subject is completely worthy of interest, it's starting to come out of our ears. Especially as it's the same old story: on the one hand, there are the good Muslims who believe that Islam is a religion of peace, love and tolerance; on the other, there are the bad guys who manipulate young people and call for jihad. From that point of view, Young Ahmed doesn't go beyond Manichaeism. With its share of nonsense - not necessarily untrue by the way - that sport and nature can heal.
Where the film is more interesting is in its direction. The Dardenne brothers, who won an award at Cannes for this, have done a meticulous job in this area. With their ultra-realistic handheld camera, we follow Ahmed. Shots show the daily routine of messy kitchens and bathrooms, sometimes cutting to a part of Ahmed's head, sometimes moving, creating a sensation of confusion. Shots of the young man's toothbrushes and hands also reveal a great deal about his background, without the instance being disturbing. He's mad about purity; obsessed with the impeccable hygiene required to prepare for prayer.
And silence, when he's filmed with his head down, lost in his inability to express what he's feeling. So Young Ahmed may be thought-provoking, it is above all an exercise in style. As such, it can gain in interest despite its ambient flatness.
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