ALONE IN FOUR WALLS (ALLEIN IN VIER WANDEN) Documentary Competition

Director Alexandra Westmeier’s absorbing documentary offers a poignant look at what a devastated economic structure can do to impressionable youth. This beautifully lensed film about Russian delinquent boys, all under the age of 14, allows its subjects to recount their offenses and share the often-tragic stories of their lives Many of the boys have had no family or reliable support in life . There is no place for them the sad world of their parents, who are often alcoholics, unemployed and living in hovels. Their happy expressions only brighten when they talk of their passions and their hopes. At this detention center, these adolescent boys no longer have to fight to survive. They do not have to face everyday torture from their families or go hungry. They have found temporary refuge and solace among their four walls, in a juvenile detention center where they have a strict regimen, educational opportunities, decent meals and medical care. Displaying both great empathy and restraint, Westmeier builds a heartfelt portrait of innocence lost and a chance of redemption, asking “Can these boys build new lives for themselves?”