The Captain and His Pirate

In 2009, the German container ship Hansa Stavanger and its crew were seized by Somali pirates. The Captain and his Pirate sheds light on the four month hostage situation, recounted by both the ship captain Kotiuk and the pirate leader Ahado. Despite the violent circumstances, a peculiar bond is formed between the hijacker and the hijacked. In this documentary film, the encounter of two different worlds is carefully captured and yet not overly emphasized. Especially enlightening are the stories and experiences of pirate Ahado, and the way this film manages to depict his everyday life in Mogadishu. Compassion arises in places, where people can't escape the individuality of each other.
Iida Hämeen-Anttila | translation by Soraja Nasser El-Dine (DocPoint)