Children Underground

Children Underground Documentary.


I have waited to do a review on a few different documentaries that really struck a nerve with me. This is one that strikes a huge nerve. This is a "MUST" see documentary. The Language is in Romanian so it is subtitled. Subtitles have never bothered me but I know it bothers some people. Even if you hate subtitles you should still watch this. This film is about five homeless children living in a subway. Their ages range from 8 to 16yrs old.

I only have one beef with this movie. The director Edet Belzberg portrays homelessness among children as being a direct result from the communist government banning abortion and the use of contraceptives. That is only partial true. Abortion became BECAME illegal in Romania under the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1966. Something that should be pointed out here is that in 1957 until 1966 abortion was completely legal. During that time 80% of pregnancies were terminated because there was a lack of contraceptives. Contraceptives were not made there and the government would not allow certain goods to be imported, contraceptives were among many of the goods not approved for import. The policy was reversed in 1989, after the Romanian Revolution and since that time abortion has been legal in Romania. That's my big beef with the documentary, most people who watch it think that abortion is still illegal there because the director makes it a point in the beginning of the film. There were 20,000 homeless children on the streets AT THE TIME the documentary is made. In 2007 Romania entered into a treaty with the European Union called the Treaty of Accession 2005. Part of the agreement in order for Europe to sign it was that Romania had to clean up their streets and provide homes for the children living there. This film was a HUGE hit in Europe and obviously affected their feelings to some degree along with other factors in order for that to be part of the union agreement. To portray abortion as still being illegal and as a direct result there is an over population of homeless kids is misleading.

This is definitely a heart wrenching story. The things these kids face on a day to day basis is very disturbing for even the hardest unemotional person. Its also sad to note that the community and government didn't get this mess taken care of until 2007. The way the people there think about the homeless and about homeless children is appalling. They honestly believe that the children are on the streets because they want to be there. Most of these kids did opt out of the orphanages because of the abuse they suffered in those institutions was worse than the abuse they suffered on the street. These kids either were droped off at an orphanage at a young age or ran away from home. The kids that ran away endured abuse at home and found life on the streets safer than their families home. So its not just about overpopulation, its about having a broken system all together. In America we take certain things for granted. Yes, we have homelessness in America but we will NOT tolerate a child without a home... we go above and beyond to make sure that child has a place to lay their head and social workers among community members step up to the plate to help a kid in need. We do a lot of things for people here in the states, we try to do a lot. That doesn't mean homelessness doesn't exist here because it obviously does. I think the difference is we try. We are aware. We don't turn a blind eye. We set up as many organizations and shelters as we can and we believe all human beings have a right to try and survive. Romania is "each man, woman, child for themselves."

One thing that really got to me about this documentary was the way the kids feel and treat each other. Obviously there is a lot of abuse on so many levels, but the way they were abusive to each other is so wrong. I guess if I imaged myself in their shoes I would expect adults to be that way... I would expect the people that don't care to be that way but I wouldn't  expect to see another child that has lived through the same abuse to dish it out in the same careless fashion. I suppose that kids mimic behavior and only know what they've been taught so I suppose in its own very messed up way it should be expected. Its a little bit/lot bit like Lord of the Flies. Ugh! Which brings me to my next point. I will write a blog about "Born into Brothels." That is about a group of children from India that were born into brothels. The kids in that film are so full of life, happiness and hope and the kids in Children Underground seem to have completely lost that. Both groups of kids have unbelievably tough lives... how can one set be so happy knowing what their lives will entail, while the other set seems so hopeless? Food for thought.