Ibrahim, Shepherd of Jihadists

by Francesco Montagner, Czech Republic, 5′

What if we were to give terrorism a place, roots and a face?
In a small bucolic village in the middle of the Bosnian mountains, a humble shepherd Ibrahim’s preaching reaches beyond the walls of the local mosque, instigating Balkan and European Muslims to join the ISIS ranks. In the rural areas all around Bosnia young people are embracing the Salafi Jihadism, leaving their houses to become foreign fighters.
The film is a portrait of contemporary Bosnia, giving glimpses of the everyday lives of Ibrahim’s family and his radicalized children. Through their conversations and encounters within the intimate setting of their home, we perceive the ambiguities and complexities of a country struck by economic impoverishment and religious extremism.