The headline above this article is the story of the movie The Way toParadise. A made-up story, but in reality it is regularly discussed. This’dark’ film from the depths of Amsterdam (but ultimately in the heart of thecity…) will be shown in cinemas from tomorrow.
The Way to Paradise revolves around Najib, an Amsterdam Moroccan from theWest district who has his life in order. Master’s degree in Law, a nice Dutchgirlfriend: that’s how it should always be, you could say. But in the end it’snot like that. Everything changes when his older brother is arrested. NowNajib has to take care of his family and is forced to drop out of his studiesto earn money. In his efforts, Najib repeatedly encounters closed doors andprejudices. Little by little his life collapses, especially because hisbrother was not dealing with the freshest of figures. On the verge of despair,he is approached by Brahim who offers him help. However, Brahim’s real goalturns out to be something else: to convince Najib that he should become ajihadist. And that by fighting for Islam will find the way to paradise.
Jihad in your own neighborhood
It was for this one Subway switch reporter. Quite a few scene locations passby that are very close to my house and that I know. But yes, Amsterdam West.It is logical that director Wahid Sanouji has actually chosen to shoot for theplace where it is all about in his film. And ‘only’ number two: nice that one_Movie Review of the Week_ takes place in their own neighborhood and beyond.
Anyone who saw the trailer already heard a good question when Najib and Brahimpeer over Amsterdam: “Do you know why an attack has never been committedhere?” “Because we as Muslims love the Netherlands.” And then: “But does theNetherlands love us?”
Aziz Akazim and Titia Hoogendoorn. Photo:Dutch Film Works
Fucking pig in The Way to Paradise
Najib’s father telling a friend ‘to ask his wife and children to bury him inMorocco’. The friend who wonders what their real country is. Najib’s motherwho, when her son is arrested – while the whole neighborhood is watching -thinks the family disgrace in the street is almost more important than thefact that her child is in jail. A female Dutch detective who calls that child’a fucking pig, a species she hates’ during interrogations. Dutch employerswho never hire Najib in his job search, simply because he is… Moroccan. With agood brain, that is. If you do have the job, then you are not allowed to prayduring the break from that jerk of a fishmonger (“Is there a mosque above thedoor here?”). And then his girlfriend’s father. You already understand: Najibis anything but welcome in the family.
All things that you don’t like to look at and sometimes embarrassing. TheMoroccan characters in The Way to Paradise , believe that they behave in atolerant way in the Netherlands. Conversely, ‘we are that country thatcontinues to see them as shitty Moroccans’. And then that Jihad will attract,which is spreading rapidly across the internet. With the main message: “Faithis our only weapon.”
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A get-together at the Sloterplas
It seems as if get-togethers in Amsterdam-West should always be filmed on thenorth side of the Sloterplas (see photo below). In a short time, this locationhas already been featured three times, in three different titles. First in theseries CLAMP and The Golden Hour now in the Jihad movie The Way toParadise. Well, it happened to catch the eye and of course the filmmaker hasa nice picture.
Fixed film location: the Sloterplas. Photo:Dutch Film Works
Role Geert Wilders in Jihad film
PVV member Geert Wilders also has a role in it The Way to Paradise. No, thepolitician didn’t have to play that one. He had already done that with hisquestion ‘more or less Moroccans’. Everything said above can ‘just’ make surethat an Amsterdam Moroccan qualifies for Jihad. With that, we are not sayinghere that it is logical if someone radicalises. It does happen though, likewith Najib. Aziz Akazim, whom Videoland viewers probably know from MacroMafia portrays his character excellently.
At least in a way where you can actually follow his Jihad thoughts. To someextent then. How he and his ‘mate’ think to start the road to Paradise in theheart of Amsterdam, that step is (fortunately) miles away for most people.
Rating out 5: 3
Subway You can read the film review of the week every Wednesday around 6p.m. New titles always appear in Dutch cinemas on Thursdays, such as The Wayto Paradise (sometimes also on Wednesdays). Reporter Erik Jonk chooses oneevery week. Next week She Said about the two journalists of the New YorkTimes who together published one of the most important stories of ageneration: the story of sexual abuse in Hollywood.