Mama Calle
Mama Calle is among the top-20 all-time best IDFA documentaries. It is a stirring documentary that examines the daily struggle of four destitute street kids for survival on the mean streets of Mexico City, one of the world´s largest cities. The documentary is noted for its strikingly beautiful imagery and its outstanding cinematography, intimately portraying four Mexican street kids.
Social Interest
Among the teeming millions of Mexico City, considered to be the most populous city in the world, are many poor and desperate people. Of these, perhaps the most desperate are children who have escaped from excessively confining or abusive situations in their families and homes to live or die on the streets. This documentary follows four such boys who live on the roof of a subway station and cadge coins from nearby motorists in the daytime in return for (unasked for) window-cleaning or amusing tricks. The boys buy or steal food and sniff glue for relaxation, and sometimes they sneak onto trains to ride into the countryside for a lark.
Political Interest
Rural-urban migration has made Mexico City one of the world’s largest cities. an estimated 19 million people live there. The cultural, political, economic and intellectual center of Mexico city holds much wealth. The city proper’s nominal GDP per capita is $17,696, the highest of any city in Latin America. Yet domestic violence, poverty, systemic injustice cripple the potential of hundreds of thousands of families living in Mexico City slums, many of whom earn no more than a dollar a day.
Awards
Mama Calle received the City of Utrecht Prize for outstanding young talent, Dutch Film Festival 1990, the Premio Costa Azul, Festival International de Cine de Troia, Portugal, 1991, the Gold Hugo Award for best social/political documentary, Chicago International Film Festival, 1991. Mama Calle has been further screened at over 20 film festivals, including:
International Film Festival Cannes, 1991.
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, 1990.
International Film Festival Rotterdam, 1991.
Edinburgh International Film Festival, 1991.
International Documentary Film Festival of Yamagata, 1991.
Credits
- Written and directed by Arjanne Laan
- Produced by: Kaie Klaassen voor Moving Image Production
- With: ‘the kids’ Alfredo Flores L?on – ‘El Pelon’, Israel Tolentino Gar?ia – ‘El Negro, Juan Emanuel Jimenez Flores Balentin
- Ligthing cameraman: Melle van Essen
- Sound: Jesus Sanchez
- Editing: Jan Dop
- Music: Patricio Wang