Stolen Dreams

The seventeen year-old single mother Jéssica (Nanda Costa) lives in a slum with her daughter Britney and her grandfather Horcio (Nelson Xavier) that repairs bicycles to survive. Her best friends are the also teenager Sabrina (Kika Farias) that was left by her mother, and the needy fourteen year-old Daiane (Amanda Diniz) that was left by her father and lives with her aunt and her uncle Peri (Daniel Dantas). The trio prostitutes every now and then to raise money to survive and satisfy their simple wishes of adolescents. Jessica is hired to have sex in the prison with the inmate Ricardo that asks Jéssica to quit prostitution and proposes her, but she does not see any hope in their relationship. Sabrina becomes the mistress of a criminal, but when she gets pregnant and decides to have the baby, her lover dumps her. Daiane misses her father and is abused by her uncle; when she befriends the hairdresser Dolores (Marieta Severo), the woman convinces her to denounce Peri.

"Sonhos Roubados" is the sixth and certainly the best film of the Brazilian director Sandra Werneck. The story of the lost youth of three teenagers that live in a poor area alone or with dysfunctional families and prostitute to survive is very realistic and cruel and supported by great performances of Nanda Costa, Kika Farias and Amanda Diniz. The sequence of Daiane and her father in her birthday party is heartbreaking. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Sonhos Roubados" ("Stolen Dreams")

The film follows a group of three teenage friends with problematic family background (there is even a recurrent child sexual harassment) and with too low income, who occasionally or often work as prostitutes, in order to afford their needs or just for purchasing. There are ups and downs in their lives, hopes and pain. People who cross their livrs may be mysoginist, full of prejudice, want to exploit them, but there are also those few who may change their lives. The best people may be a hairdresser, or even a 15-year convict. Good movie by Sandra Werneck, good work of Nanda Costa, Kika Farias, Amanda Diniz, Marieta Severo, Nelson Xavier, Daniel Dantas, MV Bill, and Silvio Guindane.