The Smell of Paradise

What makes a man become an Islamic terrorist? What underlying factors constitute the foundation that makes people willing to do anything to fight the Western world and its ideals?The documentary The Smell of Paradise asks and tries to answer these questions. Marcin Mamon and Mariusz Pilis take us on a journey to the heart of the Fundamentalist Islamic world, where they look for nuances in the complexity that so often is presented as black or white in our daily media. We get to visit Afghanistan, Pakistan, Chechnya and Qatar, and meet individuals that are frightening but still very fascinating. During the trip, new questions arise and our own involvement in this “Holy War” is also questioned.Neither Marcin Mamon nor Mariusz Pilis are amateurs in this genre. With films like The Price of Truth (2001), Mariusz Pilis has shown that he is willing to question a complex and varied picture of reality. Also Marcin Mamon’s film The real Godfather (1998), where he portrays a mafia boss in Chechnya, connects with The Smell of Paradise. Any fan of documentary films who would like to understand the terrorism of our time, must see The Smell of Paradise.VIKTOR ANDERSSON