The film about the young Western-Somalies leaving home to join the Militant Islamic group, Al-Shabab in Somalia has been chosen by the jury as best Mid-Length documentary at this year's Hot Docs, Canadas most prestigious documentary film festival. The Jury states: “We chose this film for the way it skillfully weaves complex story lines from multiple perspectives without losing its visual poetry; ultimately delivering a shocking, immediate and personal film that transcends recent headlines.”
Also the reception in the Canadian and American press has been very positive.
Hollywood Reporter write in it's review:
"Offers up a rare and intimate account of what exactly drives such youngsters to action, making this Hot Docs premiere a strong contender for fests..."
Indiewire has been breaking exlusive clips from the film along with this comment:
"Extremism and fundamentalism that curdles into terrorism is often simplified by sensationalist media coverage, but the issue is one of deep complexity. And making its North American premiere today at the Hot Docs Film Festival, "Warriors Of The North" dives into the issue."
The Toronto Star writes:
"The film brings the despair, alienation and isolation of Al Shabab’s young Danish-Somali recruits to the screen in a rare expose that provides some difficult answers, but raises inconvenient questions about the West’s role, and what might be done to staunch the flow."
Screen Creek praise the work of the directors, the composer and cinematographer:
"Directors Nasib Farah and Soren Steen Jespersen manage to hone in on the humanity in this story, which continually pulls you back in. Minimal and tasteful reenactments are beautifully shot along with real world footage under the watchful eye of cinematographer Henrik Bohn Ipsen, pushing the viewers involvement visually. This is all aided by the minimal but wonderfully atmospheric soundtrack composed by Morten Svenstrup"
"Beautifully shot look into a murkier way of life that finds legs in the underlying realities the story uncovers."
