Apprentice

Aiman is the eager apprentice who learns the intricacies of the profession of executioner from his teacher Rahim. But their shared history puts their relationship under constant, latent strain.

Aiman is 28 and has managed to break free from the environment he grew up in. Using a disciplined attitude towards life, he has reached the position of prison guard. His motivation is to help people who want to change. Aiman gets the opportunity to make a promotion to the most important and most heavily guarded prison in the region. Once there, he meets the experienced guard Rahim, who takes him under his wing.

The film follows Aiman's perspective and shows how he develops a special bond with Rahim. The audience gradually gets to know more about the background of both men. Since their lives have already crossed previously, the developments in the film are under constant strain. In a compact and compelling way, young Singapore director Boo Junfeng provides a window into the complex world of the people who administer the death penalty, and the remaining family members of the people who were executed.

Text: Dirk van der Straaten