DESI
a film by Maria Ramos

Written & directed: by Maria Ramos
Camera: Adri Schrover N.S.C.
Sound: Simone Galavazi
Editing: Stefan Kamp
Mix: Peter Flamman
Production: Eveline Raijmans
Producer: Pieter van Huystee Film & TV
Première: IDFA 2000
Format: 35 mm, digi beta and VHS
Duration: 90 minutes, colour


Desi's an ordinary eleven-year-old Amsterdam girl... with one slight difference. After school each day she calls her dad to find out where's she spending the night. At home, or somewhere else? Mum killed herself when Desi was a baby. Harry, her dad, looks after himself well enough, on the houseboat with his new girlfriend Esther. But though she's still got her own room on the boat, Desi isn't always welcome these days. So she usually sleeps at granny's house (Harry's mum) or at granddad's (mum's dad). If she's lucky she can stay with Taina, her best griend who's from Brazil - she's so close and kind. Desi never complains, her life may seem a mess, but she's happy 'because lots of people love me'.

Director Maria Ramos closely follows Desi through her days and nights, but never intrudes, asks no questions, adds no voice-over. She just let us share Desi's life for a while, leaving us to make up our own minds about this remarkable young girl who doesn't think she's at all remarkable.


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