Becoming Family

Muslim-American Dr. M. Rahmi Mowjood first traveled to Sri Lanka in January 2005 to provide medical assistance after the December 26, 2004 tsunami devastated his native country, killing 30,000 people and displacing 1.5 million others. In Becoming Family, filmmaker Carl Strecker sheds light on the ensuing international relief effort as Mowjood returns to the beleaguered country six months later with a small humanitarian team of American doctors and medical students (including his younger brother Siraj) in tow. Mowjood's mother also joins the group, since her son plans to hold his engagement dinner (he met his fiancée on the previous visit) during their stay, but when Mowjood decides to skip the dinner and just get married instead, his mother's personal stress level rises (Sri Lankan weddings can be complicated affairs). From the start, the team encounters a suffering populace who welcome and appreciate their care, but interpersonal and environmental stresses make their task more difficult (although Strecker doesn't go into much detail here). As for the humanitarian aid he delivers, Mowjood feels that “When you go out and you give of yourself, you get more in return than you actually give to others.” Although Becoming Family is ultimately a somewhat slight documentary, the film succeeds as an introduction to relief work. DVD extras include audio commentary by Strecker, deleted scenes and outtakes, and an interview with the director. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)