This deeply intimate documentary follows five homeless children in Romania, where the collapse of communism left 20,000 children on the streets.
From a 16-year-old girl who leads her gang with brutality and compassion, to a small, bright, and articulate 12-year-old boy, the kids initially seem wild and scary – but as the film develops, they Growing loneliness, growing despair, and glimmers of hope will change your perspective.
Make no mistake: it’s hard to watch. As Children Underground explores meager government resources to support these children and follows some children back to their troubled families, the problem grows in size and intractability.
But the documentary offers an unabashed and deeply sympathetic look at the extremes of human existence; you won’t forget it so easily.
Directed by: Edet Belzberg
