Synopsis
Inspired by a combination of tragically true first person testimonies, 'Yussef Is Complicated' follows the troubled tale of an Iraqi refugee, a war orphan struggling to deal with his new life at a local comprehensive school in the South of England. Haunted by his past and uncertain of his future, Yussef is a mute outcast, a social pariah feared and mocked by his classmates and misunderstood and maligned by the social welfare system struggling to deal with him. Emily Robson, Yussef's teacher and sole confidante, toils desperately to integrate him into the school and the world at large, but in a school yard fight the street smart and seasoned fighter attacks Rory, a fellow pupil, with such animal ferocity that the boy is nearly blinded. Yussef is dragged from him and fights free before kneeling in the corner of the playground prostrate, with his hands on his head and muttering incoherently in Arabic. Matt Squires, Yussef's harried and exhausted social worker calls an emergency meeting with Miss Robson and issues an ultimatum; unless there is a vast improvement in his behavior, in his temperament and communication, Yussef will be removed from mainstream education and placed in special measures. She protests his innocence and lists his good points, his intelligence, his aptitude for math and science, for language and art. But Matt is adamant in his demand. After all, it is as much his job to protect the other student's well being as it is to care for this violent, surly, unwaveringly complicated boy. Left with no choice, Miss Robson confronts Yussef in an empty classroom about his behavior and attitude. Bluntly, she explains to him the precarious and potentially disastrous situation he is in, a step away from expulsion and institutionalization. In the following lesson, Miss Robson sets the class an assignment for later in the week, 'The Day That Changed My Life'. The opportunity is not lost on the fiercely intelligent Yussef. Haunting the school after hours, the young orphan searches his soul and makes his decision. Rising early the next morning, Yussef says his prayers with fervent zeal, desperately pleading for the courage to confront his demons and lay bare his soul. Later that day, Miss Robson calls the class to order and challenges them as to who wants to go first. With a scrape of his chair, Yussef stands and makes his way to the front of the class. Summoning all his resolve and with a voice rusty from fear and disuse, Yussef begins to speak…