Films addressing vulnerable social groups in an emotional way

Sun Children is a heist thriller about young petty thieves who are trying to support their families. Seen through the eyes of 12-year-old Ali, the intrepid gang leader, the events depicted in the film will move even the coldhearted. The little bandits from Ali’s gang will enroll the Sun School, a local charity intended for street children and child laborers. However, instead of learning, they intend to reach the tunnels underneath the school that supposedly lead to a treasure. The film’s lead actors were child laborers themselves, which adds extraordinary authenticity and emotion to their roles. For his role of Ali, Rouhollah Zamani won Marcello Mastroianni award for Best Young Actor in Venice. Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, whose film Children of Heaven screened at the first edition of Motovun Film Festival, is known by films about socially neglected, exploited and abused young people, his films are known by their ability to move the audience. This film is a sharp criticism of child labor and poverty, attracting our attention to as many as 152 million of children throughout the world who are forced to work so their families could survive.

Here We Are, a film by Israeli director Nir Bergman, is a story about father and his son’s coming-of-age and a trip that will change their lives. Aharon spent his whole life looking after his autistic boy, surrounded by peaceful daily routine, untouched by the hectic outside world. But Uri is on the threshold of adolescence and the time has come for him to go to a specialized institution. Is the autistic boy ready to leave the sheltered routine and is his father ready to let him go? Thematically, this emotional story has similarities with Rain Man. This film with fascinating performances won Israeli Film Academy’s Best Directing award. 

Slovenian film Sanremo tells us about Bruno and Duša, two nursing home residents who keep forgetting that they know each other. Bruno’s memory may be frail, but his love for Duša is strong. As they meet for the “first time” over and over again, their special relationship has one constant from the past, Gigliola Cinquetti’s song Non ho l’età, the winner of San Remo festival of their youth. Miroslav Mandić depicts dementia is a new way, not trying to provoke pity or to make you laugh. It simply depicts all aspects of the disease. This romantic story is the filmmaker’s nostalgic homage to his father. The author of the original score is Darko Rundek. You will also like the picturesque landscapes, moving relations between the protagonists and perfectly fitting music.