The story of Hanif, a Muslim casket maker and ritual body washer in Newark who takes two young men, Naz and Furquan, under his wing to teach them how to live better lives.
A casket maker named Hanif mentors two young adolescent men, guiding them away from the many dangers the Newark, New Jersey streets may lure. This beautiful documentary paints a ray of hope as it follows the journey of a man who passes along the craft of building caskets and performing spiritual rituals for the Muslim deceased. Understanding the hardships of life and deep connection with the realities of death, Hanif knows the difficulty it takes to remain unsusceptible to the pitfalls life presents.
Tired of white savior films such as “Luce” and “The Blind Side,” where positive black men are erased and replaced by white heroes appearing out of nowhere to rescue the poor black kid from his own community, director Zeshawn Ali does an incredible job highlighting the importance of black male positivity and leadership which is much needed on the big screen. I love everything about this film, it’s honest, it’s real, and is definitely one of the best documentaries out there.
“Two Gods” launches in Select Theaters and in Virtual Cinemas Nationwide Friday, May 21st
and premieres on PBS’ Independent Lens Monday, June 21st
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