Children Underground (English Subtitled)

CHILLING...
CHILDREN UNDERGROUND follows a group of children living one subway station in Bucharest, Romania. These unwanted children exist as a result of Ceaucescu�s strict policy of outlaying abortions and birth control. Most grew up in orphanages while others lived with their families in dire poverty. They believe that their lives are better underground. This documentary films the daily exploits of these children along with the struggles they encounter to rehabilitate themselves. In order to attend school they must come clean and stop sniffing paint. In addition, they must have their identity papers, which are almost impossible for most of them. The most enduring parts of this film center on the interviews of the various family members of these children. Truly heartbreaking is the family of the small boy who doesn�t understand why their youngest child won�t return home. Watching this film will certainly make you appreciate the material things often taken for granted.

Take this journey... harrow your soul.
Having just seen the DVD of Children Underground I must say strongly that this film should be seen by everyone in the postmodern first world. I saw these things for myself in Romania during December of 2000. The apathy on the streets of Bucharest was deep and dark. My friends there kept shrugging their shoulders saying; "What can you do?" A documentary on the thousands of dogs on the streets would be a riveting nightmare in itself. While I was there they held an election. The choice of presidential candidates was reduced to a hard-line old school communist and a new school fascist. The Communist won. People shrugged. The train stations and subway entrances were indeed hives for feral children. I'm deeply grateful to Edet Belzberg for having the courage to descend into this manmade hell to bring these images back. It is my hope that the Romanians themselves find some of that same courage. I was moved that even at this stage of hell several of the kids held on to at least some idea of...

not for those with virginal eyes
I haven't written a review for a very, very long time; there simply hasn't been one worth writing. And after noting the lack of reviews, or seemingly brief reviews, for "Children Underground," I was compelled to do so. I now understand why the majority of reviews merely repeat what we're already told about the documentary, or simply state the pertinence of viewing this. I'm not going to tell you what you've already read here, for the basic plot summary and details cannot prepare you for the viewing experience. There's simply no way I could've been prepared for "Children Underground," despite my extensive collection of documentaries, many of which I thought to be deeply disturbing.

This is something you must see to believe; it takes us on an intimate journey to the darkest depths of a reality we've never even fathomed, let alone believed could exist. These children, this footage, the way in which it's filmed, the lack of narration, lack of any pre-text besides the initial...

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