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Helen Fitzwilliam describes an Iranian filmmaker’s quest to find his brother, the heroin addict
Independent filmmaker and journalist
The opening of Majed Neisi’s film shows his seven brothers and his sister laughing and dancing at his cousin’s wedding in Ahvaz in south-west Iran. But this is just the public face of a family in crisis.
His elder brother Mohammad had become a heroin addict who would vanish for weeks at a time. After the party, he disappeared and nobody would talk about him.
In a country where honour and reputation are paramount, a drug-addicted child is a huge stigma. ‘My mother hated the disgrace and prayed for his death,’ said Neisi.
currently living in Iran
Image — Majed Naisi holding a portrait of his elder brother, Mohammad. Credit: David Modell
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