Is life still complete without death? Where does religious faith belong in a world of ever-growing scientific knowledge? What makes a person “human”? What does “human” mean in a future where technology and the individual are fused into one? These are some of the complex questions that Fawaz Al-Matrouk raises in his short film.

The plot is structured in three chapters and unfolds in an unspecified future. Humans can live eternally. Old age, disease and injuries are a thing of the past. Mona (Kerry Bishé) became one of such “ever people”. Her partner decided to remain mortal and passed away. Now their son eight-year-old son Anwar (Leo Etemadi) has to make his choice. Mona wants him to become an ever person, but he rejects eternal life. Anwar believes that living forever is a sin, and that one should eventually die and go to heaven. Years later Anwar, now a young man (Saif Haj), still rejects eternal life.

Lush nature settings suggest the earth has recovered from human destruction. Within his serene scenario, becoming an ever-person is the norm. At least in the idyllic microcosm of the main character. While Anwar grows old, his mother remains physically unchanged. But does this make his life richer? Or her existence easier? There are no answers.

Anwar is finely crafted and at times moving, however a little too ambitious for its own sake. The 19-minute runtime does not allow for the characters to grow. Timely issues such as religious obscurantism, gender antagonism and enforced life-prolongation just linger in the background. There are some worthwhile ideas here (such as the conflict between senescence and immortality), but they are neither new nor particularly original. The premise is much more intriguing than the plot, and the “ever” concept remains a little blurry. The range of existential questions complicate what could have been a much simpler and more effective storyline.

Anwar premiered at the Sedona International Film Festival.