Brother

Scarborough, a socially deprived area of Toronto, is the centre of life for the two brothers Michael and Francis. The sons of Caribbean immigrants grow up with their single mother Ruth in a small flat. Without a father figure in their lives, Francis has to take responsibility for his brother while their mother often works. The siblings are confronted with violence and gang crime in their surroundings almost every day, and encounters with the police are inevitable. In this environment, the two boys have to find their own identities and grow up. While Michael is rather reserved and avoids confrontations, Francis is extroverted and increasingly cuts the cord with his family. Ruth dislikes this development. The two of them quarrel more and more frequently and furiously. The brothers’ relationship is maintained through their connection to the hip-hop scene, but at the same time they gradually grow apart from each other. However, an incident affecting Francis will soon present the family with an insurmountable challenge.