SUN CHILDREN Directed By: Majid Majidi
12-year-old Ali and his three friends, together they work hard to survive and support their families. In a turn of events that seems miraculous, Ali is entrusted to find hidden treasure underground. (IMDB Synopsis)
This has to be my favorite movie that I have seen at Miami Film Festival so far. There is so much that I love about this movie. A treasure hunt movie like you have never seen before. Sun Children stars the incredible Roohollah Zamani, who does an incredible job in his role. He is the main person that carries this movie and it looks like he has been acting for a long time. For someone so young he has incredible raw talent with magnificent range. That could be said about all the kids in this movie, since there is no real weak link. It seems that this film contains a very high budget for the look and feel of how everything is shot. The Sun Children is able to flow constantly and paced extremely well. There are many moments that feel like you're in an Indian Jones adventure mixed with Issa Lopez's Tigers Are Not Afraid. We see that the world they live in is dangerous and they are fighting for their survival. The kids have to do what is necessary to survive and we see that in multiple examples throughout its runtime.
The story of Sun Children is layered with so many important topics. It even begins with the notation that the movie is dedicated to kids that have been exposed to hard labor. This is something we see clear as day within the movie. These kids are constantly working and grinding in order to survive in this world. From the opening scene we see the lengths they go in order to make money. Although they are children, they very much had to grow up extremely fast and do many adult like tasks. Little by little we learn that a lot of them either have no father figure or a lack of a role model to look up too. Survival skills are mostly all they know and we see that portrayed in many scenes. There is huge amounts of intelligence with them, but mostly tailored to street knowledge like fighting, substances and working at these hardwork jobs. These of course are all things children really shouldn't need to know, but is necessary for them to fit in the mold in the world they live in. The amounts of pressure on these kids was hard to watch. You feel a great sense of concern for them while watching this movie. I do have to say that there is a great use of tension especially in the nerve-racking third act of the movie. If you are trying to find a movie with a solid story line, strong character development and like suspense dramas, look no further.
Sun Children is an unforgettable movie filled with adventure, heartbreak and is ecstatic. This is a movie holds a very special place in my heart. The characters in this movie, especially Ali played by Roohollah Zamani, are mesmerizing to see on the screen. The story itself is laid out like a adventure movie that has very dramatic and suspenseful elements. My heart was racing at the very end of the movie and I was genuinely scared for Ali. In fact there were many moments in the movie that I feared for these characters. The friendship and relationships they had with one another, made me invested in these kids and I wanted them to succeed with their goals and dreams. There were many moments where I said out loud "I love these kids". A rollercoaster of emotion from start to finish. I have to give a huge shoutout to Majid Majidi for writing and directing such a accomplished movie. There isn't anything in Sun Children that I didn't like. That's a huge achievement in my eyes. I know that this movie is on a lot of people's list for best foreign film for the Oscars. I really hope it gets more recognition in more award ceremonies. I can't wait to see this director's future work. Make sure to check this one out if you have a chance. Click on the Miami Film Festival category to look at more coverage!