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Director's Statement
MY SON THE FANATIC is the story of a man in a state of great crisis. As Parvez, our protagonist, becomes alienated from his family following his son's move into fundamentalist Islam, he finds himself falling in tone with Bettina, a prostitute. This is a move, as Parvez well knows, fraught with danger, particularly for someone who lives in, and is dependent to a very large extent on, the local Pakistani community.
Hanif Kureishi has written the story almost entirely from Parvez's point of view; we learn of events and decisions affecting the lives of the characters with Parvez. For me, therefore, the story is as much about Parvez's state of mind as about the things that befall him. Therefore the style of the film is guided by what is going on in his head. As, for example, he becomes increasingly estranged from his family and his home becomes a less welcoming place, the lighting and colours become colder.
With the arrival of the Maulvi, Parvez becomes a stranger in his own house and this is reflected in the way he is positioned awkwardly within the frame. Similarly, Parvez's size and position in the frame reflect his status as he is 'bought' and humiliated by Schitz. Also, as Parvez becomes increasingly confused by what is happening he is lit with less direct light whereas other characters within the same frame are lit normally.
The lighting, composition, colours and costume also reflect Parvez's view of the other characters; changing as his perception of them changes. Red is the most important colour in this film, both in its range of shades and in its total absence in certain sections. Mostly, the colour red, in differing shades, is associated with Bettina (rich and vibrant) and Minoo (dark, almost brown].
The treatment of the sound in the film follows exactly the same philosophy. It works hand in glove with the other elements, adding another layer by its careful and often subjective use.