Documentary Film: Blood Brother

Blood Brother

Director: Steve Hoover

Cinematographer: John Pope

Writers: Steve Hoover, Tyson Van Skiver, Phinehas Hodges

Producer: Danny Yourd

Running Time: 92 minutes

1st released in the USA and premiered at the Sundance Festival on January 20, 2013

Yesterday afternoon, while my son was at school, I decided I wanted to watch a movie, a film, something on Netflix. As I searched for titles that intrigued me, without really any guidelines or clear intent of what I wanted to watch, I came across the documentary film, "Blood Brother". Without knowing what to expect and without any pre-guidelines of what this film is about, aside from the short synopsis Netflix provided, I pressed play. Right from the beginning of the film, I was captivated. It had my undivided attention.

To be candid, I hesitated on writing about my thoughts on this film. It moved me so much and was certain of how special it was, that I almost feared I couldn't capture into words how important, how beautiful, how extraordinary I thought this film, "Blood Brother" is. In the aftermath of watching the film and even through out the film, I had so many emotions, thoughts, ideas, compiling in my mind and in my heart, that I didn't quite know if I would be able to coherently express them, but I am attempting to do so now, because this is a film, I must share. To not even attempt to share with others how much I believe in this film or to stop myself from encouraging others to watch it, because of my fear of failingly putting into words the exact reasons that justify how incredible the experience of watching this film has been for me, I knew would put me in discontent. Sharing my thoughts and feelings on "Blood Brother", is also my way of paying tribute to a film, to a story, to the people within the film that have shaken the core of who I am, in the most raw, uncomfortable at times, yet also in the most positive and loving ways.

Blood Brother is an intimate portrait of Rocky Braat, a young man who longed to find a family. He didn't know it, but this desire would lead him to an AIDS hostel in India, a place of unspeakable hardship, where he would find almost more love and need than he could bear. - Written by Blood Brother

If I had to simply describe this film with a list of words, which at the start of writing this was all I could do to put my thoughts on paper, these are some of those words: "Blood Brother" to me is about purpose, identity, friendship, children, innocence, HIV/AIDS, poverty, community, family, giving, surviving, living, India, death, dying, pain, strength, loyalty, bravery, fear, commitment, marriage, culture, dedication, suffering, overcoming, contentment, judgement, peace, self, others, satisfaction, guilt, relationships, connection, humanity, authenticity, life's work, life, love.

Steve Hoover, Rocky's best friend (and a filmmaker), is unsettled and intrigued by this drastic action. In an effort to find out what compelled Rocky to give up every source of stability in his life, Hoover follows him back to India to trace his story. - Written by newportFILM

Steve Hoover, the filmmaker, who also happens to be Rocky's best friend, is also the narrator of this film. Within his first words and in the tone of his voice, in the gentle way he tells this story, it was clear to me that he is doing so from a place of love, of true friendship and a desire to understand his friend, because of those things, love and true, deep friendship, perhaps you can also call it brotherhood. You can hear in the narration his journey of opening himself up to a world and notions that may be authentically be uncomfortable to him, but the love, the intent in which he is coming from in experiencing this world in which his best friend has chosen to partake in, may confuse him initially but comes from a place of so much love, that you could feel him open up to the experience wholeheartedly, despite his fears and even while still in the midst of processing the things about that world, and more particularly about HIV/AIDS, that felt unclear to him. You can sense him work through those thoughts and moments of discretion he felt from time to time, as the film progressed and I gathered that he willingly pushed himself empathize and to dive into the experience, because he cared so much to understand his friend's actions and perspective. He also cared for the children. 

I love the images reflected on this film. I love how it was filmed. The cinematography was stunning. There is so much love reflected in every image. It is a powerful film with beautiful imagery, even despite the necessary focus on sickness, pain, suffering, poverty and even death. There were colors and life. This film and in the way it was filmed, spoke and continue to speak to me in the way in which it brought out of me, that desire that is in me, one that I have known to always feel in me, that desire to do something meaningful in this world and with my life, something of importance, something satisfying, the great satisfaction that I am mattering, making a real difference in people's lives. Relationships we have with people, to me, that is everything and the connection Rocky has with those children is so inspiring. 

This gorgeously shot film is also a deeply affecting psychological portrait of a young do-gooder as he adapts to the regularity of 
tragedy in his new life." - Los Angeles Times

I was intrigued by Rocky Braat's interaction with the children, how unfiltered he was in his affection for them. His love, his affection for and towards the children seem to come naturally. It shows in the way he cares for them and in the way he speaks to them. He just seems to know how to say the right things to them and effortlessly so. To me, his words comes out so honestly and these are delicate yet powerful words. Reminding a girl, who had to shave her hair, that she was beautiful still without it, by asking her to repeat the words "I am beautiful", again and again, to the extent in which she is able to say it with a smile and conviction, is one of those moments, that exemplifies Rocky's ability to instill in these children, the kind of character one must have in order to thrive beyond their deadly disease. The communication he has with the children, him to them, and in reversal, them to him, seem to just happen so effortlessly. The fondness the children feels towards him is just as much, as it is the other way around. It is apparent, that Rocky Braat has that instinct to care, to nurture and to love, unconditionally. 

"An incisive and compassionate documentary that's as much a transformative experience for audiences as it was for the filmmakers." - The Hollywood Reporter

After the film had ended, I thought to myself, that was real life I just watched. These people's lives are not being acted out on screen; their pain and suffering is real. What I saw wasn't a movie, with fictional characters and made up stories. It struck me, that those people, Rocky, Steve, the children, are out there right now and that their life is happening right now. It hit me. That reality hit me! I meditated on it and I wanted to pray for them, in which I did.  Wow, I thought to myself, these children are so brave! The notion of how brave they were, brought me to tears. It truly is how astonishing how brave and strong and beautiful their spirits are, including Rocky and I am grateful that their stories are being shared, told and for those that have already lost their lives, that images of them did not simply disappear with the wind, that despite how fleeting in years their lives may seem to have been, they are not forgotten, but remembered and their beauty and soul, celebrated. 

Stills from the film

I love how we sometimes come upon the most unexpected experiences, one that move us, change us, inspire us, forces us to feel emotions we haven't acknowledged in a long time and in hindsight, such unexpected experiences does come to us like a gift. It is a gift. Watching "Blood Brother" sure felt that way! 

It was like, love came along. 

To learn more about the film, "Blood Brother", visit www.bloodbrotherfilm.com