'Fishing Without Nets' offers nuanced view of Somali piracy

The Oscar-winning Tom Hanks film "Captain Phillips" put Somali piracy in the Hollywood spotlight.

But a group of international filmmakers hopes their vision will explain more about what drives some Somali men to take human captives. To help spread the word about "Fishing Without Nets" — and seek the endorsement of Minnesota's Somali community — they will offer a free screening Friday at Augsburg College.

"Of all the places that we have taken the film this is really one of the most important places to show it," director and screenwriter Cutter Hodierne said. "Being one of the largest centers of the Somali diaspora in North America."

The filmmakers will appear at Sateren Hall at Augsburg at 5 p.m. Friday. The screening is open to the public.

A newspaper article launched "Fishing Without Nets." Hodierne was captivated by the account about what led some Somalis into piracy.

"This was something where, not to say I condoned it, but I could start to understand why somebody would do this," he said.

That led him to extensive research about piracy off the Somali coast which in turn resulted in a script. But he realized he needed to know more.

"What I felt I needed to do a more authentic job was to go to Africa," he said, "and meet Somalis and to become friends with people so I could understand Somali culture."

Hodierne went to Africa in 2011. Ongoing violence in Somalia forced his research to Kenya where he met exiled Somalis and began work on a short version of the film. It was a slightly mad plan, but it worked.

"It doesn't seem like that's what you should do," he said. "But oddly enough, that's what you should do."

"Fishing without Nets," which is now on video on demand, focuses on a young Somali man named Abdi trying to support his family. He's a fisherman, but there are few fish left along the east African coast. He grows so desperate he pays smugglers his last money to take his wife and son to what he hopes will be a better life in Kenya.

He needs more money to follow them. So, against his better judgment, he joins other desperate men working as pirates. They give him a gun, and tell him to guard a hostage.

"Me, I'm fisherman," he tells the Frenchman.

"No, you're not a fisherman," the hostage replies with disdain. "You are a pirate."

Abdi feels trapped by his decision, and his inner conflicts grow as they sit and wait for the ransom.

Hodierne showed his short at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Jury Prize for short filmmaking.

"Had that not happened we probably wouldn't have ever made the film," he said.

That's in part because they learned Hanks was making "Captain Philips" about another Somali pirate hostage situation.

But the Sundance win gave them the impetus to return to Africa to make the full-length movie. There a new face joined the production: Mombasa-based documentary producer Idil Ibrahim.

She was initially unsure about signing on to shoot the "Making of" documentary.

"Piracy is incredibly complicated," Ibrahim said. "And as a member of the Somali diaspora I was initially hesitant to be in any production that handled the issue."

However, she became comfortable with the production and soon found herself deeply involved.

"I always joke that my testosterone levels rose because, you know, high speed boat chases guns everywhere, just a lot of action," she said with a laugh.

After a few months her involvement deepened when she was cast as Abdi's wife. Hodierne had been unable to find another suitable actor.

The film has been shown on the festival circuit, and even had a short theatrical run in Minneapolis, but the director wants to present the film personally in Minnesota.

Some local Somalis have already seen the film. Local businessman and KFAI radio host Mohamoud Treek, who saw "Fishing without Nets" last week, said the film is important for its portrayal of the problems facing young people in Somalia.

"It's really good for the Americans, and especially the Minnesotans who have never actually been to Somalia can learn the struggles that are going on in Somalia," said Treek, who many may know as Wiilwaal. "This is a great movie to learn about that struggle."