Hermano is a Venezuelan film directed by Marcel Rasquin. Hermano means brothers in Spanish and is about two soccer-crazy brothers Daniel (Fernando Moreno) and Julio (Eliu Armas). “Futbol total,” is one way to describe the film. While this is a film about soccer it is also a film about gangs and gang wars and how it can alter the trajectory of a family.

The film opens with a baby crying its lungs out. The baby is lying abandoned by a garbage dump. A little boy walking up the stairs with his mother turns around thinking it is a cat and goes looking for it. Instead, he discovers the abandoned baby. The mother decides to rescue the baby and take it home with them. Naturally the baby’s nickname is Gato or cat in Spanish. Cut to the next scene and there is a soccer game in progress. The little boys are grown up and are passionate about soccer. A love for soccer is the glue that binds the two brothers and the mother.

Daniel, the older brother is a natural leader and head of the soccer team, while Gato is a low-keyed and gifted soccer player. The family lives in a rough neighborhood, and somehow Julio gets involved in the local gang. An unexpected opportunity knocks on their door in the form of a soccer talent scout, who comes to check out the brothers. There is talk that the talent scout was impressed with Gato’s intricate footwork and the way he played the game. Could Gato get picked by the Caracas Football Club and turn professional?

While they are waiting to hear from the scout, the brothers loose their mother in a bizzare gang fight. Gato witnesses the death of his mother, but refrains from sharing that information with his older brother. The death of the mother is a devastating blow to the brothers and Julio is determined to track down the person who shot their mother.

Soon after the loss of their mother Gato gets selected by the talent scout, but he refuses to join the team unless his older brother is also offered a contract. To find out what happens next you have to watch the film. Does Julio find out who murdered his mother? Does Gato join the soccer team along with his brother?

Even if you are not a football fan, you will appreciate the intricate footwork that the camera captures in the film.  Hermano is a low-keyed film that gives us a glimpse into a country that we hardly get to see in mainstream cinema. The film also demonstrates the power of love, and the extent to which someone will go to fulfill the dreams of their loved ones. Now, that is one way of looking at the film.

Hermano has won many awards and was the 2011 official Oscar Entry from Venezuela.

Hermano released in the San Francisco bay area on August 24, 2012. It is currently playing in San Francisco and San Jose.