Deep Dive: Children Underground (2001)
Film Lens
Children Underground is a documentary directed by Edet Belzberg, focusing on the lives of five homeless children in Bucharest, Romania. Set against the backdrop of post-communist Romania, the film portrays the harsh realities faced by these children, aged eight to sixteen, who live in a subway station. The film captures their struggles with addiction to Aurolac, an industrial adhesive, and their daily interactions with commuters who often ignore their plight.
The documentary features Cristina Ionescu, a 16-year-old who leads the group and has a history of abuse in an orphanage. Other children include Mihai Tudose, a 12-year-old who ran away from an abusive home, and Violeta 'Macarena' Rosu, a 14-year-old who is heavily addicted to Aurolac. The filmmakers maintain a distance while filming, allowing the raw and unfiltered experiences of these children to unfold in their environment, emphasizing their fight for survival on the streets.
Why Watch
- •Meet Cristina, the tough leader of the subway kids.
- •Follow Mihai as he seeks a better life away from abuse.
- •Find out how Aurolac addiction affects street children.
Did You Know
•20,000 children are homeless in Romania after the collapse of communism.
•Cristina Ionescu left an orphanage at age 11 to live on the streets.
•Mihai Tudose ran away from home at age 8 due to parental abuse.
Perfect For
Social issuesDocumentary enthusiastsRomanian culture