Hijamat Review: A Brutal Saudi Thriller That Bleeds Tensio

Fifty-year-old Murad (Kida Khodr Ramadan) learns that his younger brother, Kerem (Jael Cem Ilhan), is gay. His immediate impulse is to offer support, but the traditional values of their Muslim family, embodied by their father Ibrahim (Vedat Erincin) and the local imam Ahmet Hoca (Aziz Çapkurt), make that path nearly impossible. As Murad tries to mediate between his brother’s circle of friends and his father’s rigid expectations, he gets pulled into a worsening spiral of conflict. The film also weaves in themes of migration and interfaith dialogue, not only between different religions but within the fractured community itself.

Director Nader Saïvar clearly has an empathetic eye for the nuances of cultural hypocrisy and familial love. The film’s strongest asset is Kida Khodr Ramadan, who portrays Murad as a man exhausted by the weight of holding everyone together. His physicality-the slumped shoulders, the weary glances-communicates more than many of the script’s dialogue-heavy scenes.

The family dynamic, particularly the push-and-pull between Murad and his father, has real dramatic potential. Vedat Erincin brings a stern, wounded presence as Ibrahim, a man whose faith and tradition leave him no room for flexibility. Aziz Çapkurt’s turn as the imam adds another layer of religious authority, though the character remains somewhat one-dimensional.

However, “Hijamat” struggles with structural focus. The screenplay introduces too many side characters-Michael (Moritz Bleibtreu), Leyla (Nicolette Krebitz), Margot (Nastassja Kinski), and Meryem (Derya Durmaz)-but few get enough screen time to feel essential. Kerem, the gay brother at the center of the story, often feels like a plot device rather than a fully realized person. We see the reactions of those around him, but rarely experience his internal life.

The migration subtheme, while timely, gets handled in broad strokes rather than intimate detail. The film gestures at conversations about integration and religious identity but rarely digs beneath the surface. At 104 minutes, it feels both too long for its core story and too short to do justice to its many threads.

Visually, the film lacks the distinct compositional flair one might expect from a Jafar Panahi production. The camera stays functional, framing conversations in medium shots without much stylistic risk. The soundtrack occasionally overstates emotional beats that the performances already handle well.

Pros

• Kida Khodr Ramadan delivers a grounded, emotionally present lead performance
• The central dilemma of duty versus desire is handled with cultural authenticity
• Vedat Erincin and Aziz Çapkurt add weight as representatives of traditional authority
• The film tackles a rarely explored intersection of faith and LGBTQ identity in Turkish-German communities

Cons

• The screenplay is overstuffed with underdeveloped subplots and characters
• Kerem, the gay brother, lacks agency and interiority
• Pacing drags during exposition-heavy stretches
• The migration and interfaith dialogue themes feel superficial
• Direction lacks visual ambition, leaning heavily on dialogue

“Hijamat” is a sincere but uneven drama that deserves credit for tackling a complex cultural subject. Ramadan’s performance keeps the film from sinking, and there are moments of real resonance when the camera simply lets characters breathe. But the scattered storytelling and lack of focus on Kerem’s perspective weaken the emotional core. For viewers interested in the intersection of LGBTQ identity and Muslim family dynamics, it offers a respectful introduction-but those seeking a deeper, more cohesive exploration may feel underwhelmed.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter