Mostafa, hardly into his teens, has not seen his mother since the time he can recall. His father is a drug addict, and his new stepmom does not appreciates him staying with them. She nags her husband to send Mostafa away to an orphanage. His grandparents think the orphanage is a better choice for him than ending up destitute on the streets and turning into a junkie. They fear they will not be around to look out for him much longer and need him to make that decision soon. Meanwhile, Mostafa wants to find out more about his mother and why she left him as soon as he was born. He craves to meet her once, as he does not even remember her face and his father declines to show him even a photograph of his mother. Mostafa is livid. His mother was insensitive to leave him behind when she divorced his father and moved out of town. He questions why she had to bring him into the world if she could not bear the responsibility of his wellbeing.
‘Unsettled’ is a documentary directed by Mohamad Sadeq Esmaeeli. Mohamad follows the story of young Mostafa as he sets out in search of his mother. He starts his investigation at the doorsteps of his aunt, who leads him on to relatives of his mother. He learns that his mother is now remarried and lives across the border in Afghanistan. They make arrangements to meet at the border and spend a day together. The documentary follows Mostafa through his daily routine of football practice, his workplace and domestic chores amidst the discussions he has with various relatives regarding his mother. The film unfolds the mystery of his mother’s whereabouts, savouring the sweet Mostafa’s taste of discovery as he goes from one point to the next. Mohamad leverages the biggest love of Mostafa’s life, football, as a connecting chord that follows him throughout his entire journey. It is when the circumstances of his life affect his ability to play the game that we feel Mostafa grow up from a child into adulthood.
‘Unsettled’ is a touching documentary that pulls at the heartstrings because of the intensity of emotions addressed in great simplicity.
