Pixote

- What is there in life for a queen?

- Nothing, Lilica.

The story of Pixote could have been told about just any of the very many homeless children living in the streets in Brazil. Poverty and starvation are daily concerns which easily force these kids into drugs and violent crime. In this unique and rare film we’ll follow Pixote when he in the beginning of the film is taken to a youth detention center. Here the guards as well as other kids don’t hesitate in committing rape and murder. He soon gets to know the transvestite Lilica and his lover Dito, and together they manage to escape the center. But life is not much better outside, and there is a hard struggle just to survive.

The actors are all a group of amateurs, and this makes this film from 1981 especially interesting. The film’s star Fernando Ramos da Silva, who plays Pixote was actually shoot dead by police in 1987.

De Witte Van Sichem

This insightful, excellent drama is based on a popular novel from the 1930s and is the second cinematic version of the story of young Whitey. Whitey and his family live in poverty in Flanders, working for a wealthy farmer. Whitey’s main passion is reading, although he has no affection for school or for farm work. His hyperactive imagination finds an outlet with his friends, as he sets them up to play-act battles from literature. In order to feed his reading habit Whitey borrows or steals to get books. Already in trouble and not yet out of school, Whitey’s future looks bleak- he was born in the wrong social register at the wrong time.

This is a very nice film, with an interesting plot and with good acting.

My personal rating:

Highly recommended

El Diputado

Sex and politics collide in Eloy de la Iglesia’s harrowing, hardhitting tale of forbidden love, blackmail and murder. Set up by the secret police to compromise a prominent politician, a teenage hustler discovers himself passionately in love with the man he must betray. Inspired by true events, this daring groundbraking work from the director of Colegas and Los Placeres Ocultos offers unflinching insight into Spain’s changing political, cultural and sexual mores.

Local Boys

On Skeet’s twelth birthday his older brother Randy buys him his first surf board. Suddenly, his summer turns to the endless search for the perfect wave, wild times and beach parties and eventually, finding his own daring adventures when Randy’s attention turns to a girl. Beyond his wildest dreams, Skeet is taken under the wings of surfing legend Jim Wesley (Mark Harmon) who gives Skeet first-hand lessons in hot-dogging. Meanwhile, Randy, still dealing with the loss of his father and trying to fill his shoes, is jealous of Jim’s influence on Skeet and isn’t thrilled when Jim begins a relationship with their single mom. Tangled by the conflict between his brother and his newfound father figure, Skeet retreats to his room while longing to surf.

Filmed on location along the beaches of Southern California, Local Boys is loaded with radical surfing footage, breathtaking moves, and thrilling feats. Packed with adventure, point breaks //….//it’s a coming of age story that captures the hardships and thrilling freedom that goes with growing up.

With Jeremy Sumpter!

C.R.A.Z.Y.

Growing up has never been so complicated! Zac is the fourth of five sons, but he’s always been more ”sensitive” than the other boys. Growing up in a strict but loving Catholic household, Zac does everything he can to impress his stern father. Through a combination of music, rebellion and humor, Zac learns how to be true to his inner self and to teach his father to love him for who he really is. A heartfelt coming-of-age story, C.R.A.Z.Y. wins unanimous praise from critics for its entertaining performances and outstanding soundtrack.

Ali Zaoua

Ali, Kwita, and Boubker are a group of street urchins living on the hard streets of Casablanca. Their everyday lives are filled with violence, begging and indifference. In order to survive, they create a bond of friendship and family between them. The bond is cut short when Ali is senselessly killed at the beginning of the film; his life taken by a single act of a rival gang. Ali’s friends decide not to report his death to the police, but rather to bury him ”like a prince”. Ali Zaoua captures the power of dreams and presence of hope in the harshest of circumstances.

 Film Movement

Innocent

Young Eric emigrates with his family from Hong Kong to Canada. While they struggle financially and culturally, Eric must come to terms with his homosexuality. He romantically pursues his handsome cousin, then a middle-aged lawyer and finally his classmate James, only to be rebuffed. As the family restaurant starts failing and the family unit begins to fall apart, Eric bonds with an illegal immigrant and ends up somewhere totally unexpected.