Fig Tree

I really love the way the story is told in Fig Tree. It's not the first time I've seen a movie about young people that are caught up in the political drama that is plaguing their country, but this one is presented so effectively that I was completely enthralled. We get to meet the characters and understand their relationships under somewhat normal conditions, and then we see where the problem is going to start. For a portion of the film I wondered if perhaps the story should have been told from the perspective of Eli instead of Mina, but as the movie progresses it becomes clear why she is our window into this story. I also appreciate that extra layer of separation she has from what is going to happen, because it shows how helpless the young people are in this dire situation.

I don't know anything about the history of this time in Ethiopia, but Fig Tree is extremely effective in telling the story so that we can understand all the dangers that are looming because of the Civil War. While this might not directly reflect anything I've been through, that doesn't change the fact that the ordeal they are going through is extremely relatable. It also helped that there were so many likable characters in the film. Mina and Eli were great, but I also loved Mina's grandmother who is the perfect example of love and understanding. I was fully engrossed in this story, and may have shed a few tears throughout. Fig Tree is not exactly an easy film to watch, because things don't always go well for our protagonist, but it's a well-told story and one that I wish more people would see.