EXCLUSIVELY AT IFI 

A group of Guatemalan teenagers attempt to make their way to the U.S.A., dreaming of the better life that the country promises, but they are ill equipped, both physically and emotionally, for the challenges they face getting there. Sara attempts to pass as a boy, thinking that will make her less vulnerable; Juan positions himself as the group’s guide and cheerleader, but he proves himself as naïve as the others; Samuel struggles from the start of the adventure, while Chauk, an indigenous Indian, speaks no Spanish.

Diego Quemada-Díez has previously worked with Ken Loach, and there’s evidence of that in the film’s raw realism and its committed social concerns. It’s a brilliant and effecting debut, which has won numerous prizes on the festival circuit, including an award for its young ensemble cast at Cannes 2013. (Notes by Michael Hayden.)

Don’t forget we now schedule weekly.

★★★★★ The Irish Times ★★★★ The Guardian