Discussion of nuclear war and death, persecution of Muslims. Children play with toy gun; one shoots another. Animals shown debilitated and in some distress. Discussion of professional wrestling violence. Dead birds shown but no blood or gore. News reports of shootings and property damage. Footage of fires and civil unrest.
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Brief discussion of material loss when a pair of eyeglasses is stolen by a bird. Mention of someone in a neighboring city paying a large amount of money for an owl, which is dismissed as frivolous.
Positive Messages
a lot
Caring for animals, working hard to improve your life and others'. Awareness about the impact of climate change. Some people are shown to be intolerant of others' faith and habits.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Brothers Saud and Nadeem are both devoted to helping black kites and other birds, which are under threat by the pollution of their natural habitat. They are also thoughtful about the environment and wildlife, and how people's behavior -- including their own -- can impact them.
Diverse Representations
a lot
Setting is localized to New Dehli in India. Shows many of the country's customs and cultures. News footage and discussion of tensions between Hindus and Muslims within the country and neighboring Pakistan. The documentary's human subjects are two Indian brothers who show great compassion and dedication to their bird conservation work. Some female participants feature very briefly.
Parents need to know that All That Breathes is an Oscar-nominated Indian documentary about two brothers who care for injured birds in New Delhi. The two brothers the film revolves around, Saud and Nadeem, are caring, compassionate, and determined in their mission. They also engage in conversations while they work, ranging from the the trivial to shrugging off gossip about a potential nuclear war between India and Pakistan. To the camera, they talk in depth about climate change and how pollution is harming the bird population of their city. Dead and distressed animals are shown. There is also discussion about the persecution of Muslims, and news footage shows civil unrest and reports on shootings. Occasionally the brothers argue, which includes occasional swearing such as "f---ing" and "s--t." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
This Oscar-nominated documentary is a thoughtful and layered meditation on a remarkable slice of modern life. All That Breathes might revolve around two brothers and their dedication to caring for the ailing black kite population of their New Delhi home, but in reality it is about much more than that. Director Shaunak Sen captures not only a passion that drives his subjects to do something admirable, but also the predicament that makes the brothers' lives unique. Environmental change and neglect cause them to contend with flooding, disintegrating infrastructure, and polluted air, which affect their home lives as well as the birds'. Meanwhile, they must be both patient and persistent in their attempts to bolster their Wildlife Rescue clinic with a government grant.
Threaded through the main narrative we get glimpses of the sectarian tensions that blight modern India and cause additional anxiety. But, wisely, All That Breathes avoids trying to lean heavily on metaphors or push an agenda. Instead it does what all good documentaries do, and asks its audience to look inward to see the world through different eyes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the relationship between Saud and Nadeem in All That Breathes. How does their relationship compare to that of other siblings you know? What motivates them and what character strengths drive them on?
How did the film show how climate change is affecting the birds at the center of the story? How did this make you think about how our way of life impacts the environment?
Discuss the civil unrest and politics that played in the background of the film. How do these issues affect the subjects' lives? Why do you think the filmmaker chose to combine the two?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Alistair Lawrence
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
