2023 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
Jude Chehab takes a deeper look at the religious sect of which her mother is a part. As she explores her mother’s past, present, and future she learns things that she never thought possible–and she finds herself wrapped up in a journey that she never could have expected. Jude’s entire life has effectively revolved around her mother’s devotion to this sect in Syria, and she needs to know why; all steps into the light in Q.
I love when a project is born out of passion–it can strengthen a film and make it easier to relate. However, on the flip side of that, it can sometimes make it more challenging for viewers to appreciate. When a documentary like Q comes into existence, one that is so personal to the filmmaker(s), it can make it difficult to reach a larger audience. Q is the story of Jude and her family, and it’s an important thing to talk about, but not necessarily on a grand scale.
I believe that the religious sect of which Jude’s mother is a part can have a place in cinema, but it needs to focus more on the sect itself rather than just one family. As Q moves forward, this aspect of the film only grows stronger, appealing to fewer and fewer people along the way. I understand the film, and I appreciate its message–but I couldn’t ever relate to it, I couldn’t ever find a reason to really care about what Jude and her family had to say. That sounds horrible–I know that, but it’s a reality. There was never enough content to attract a viewer like me–and, if I’m being honest, I think Jude knows this.
Q’s saving grace is the fact that it knows what it wants to be–and it knows that it will only reach a niche group of viewers. Jude is a professional, without a doubt–and her understanding of the content she has in front of her and the audience she is trying to reach is impressive. While the story itself isn’t one that appealed to me, her ability to understand this process and know what she wants to come out of the film is charming and redeeming. Q doesn’t necessarily have bad qualities–especially considering the fact of who the film is made for. It takes some time for viewers to understand Jude’s purpose, but when it reveals itself viewers like me are able to see it in a new light.
Q is intimate, full of passion, and a story that, provided the right audience sees it, can change lives. Realistically Q is not for me, and Jude knows that. She never tries to hide what this film is and she never attempts to trick viewers into thinking it’s something that it’s not. It’s open and honest from the beginning–and even if the film doesn’t reach millions, I believe the people that it does reach it will have a profound effect on.
Written & Directed by Jude Chehab.
Starring Hiba Khodr, Ziad Chehab, & Doria Mouneimne.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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