Ayacucho is a city with over 10 000 war orphans who receive no protection or assistance from the government. Caught in the struggle between the Peruvian government and the Sendero Luminoso guerilla movement, they have watched their parents and siblings being abducted, tortured and killed. As a result, many of the children are now traumatized to the point of speechlessness. One child in every five dies before the age of three.
Alberto Durant, one of South America's finest directors, follows some of these children through a typical day. The long-lasting effects of their suffering can be seen in their art work and heard in their personal stories. The video also illustrates how street children in "Third World" countries are forced to shoulder the reponsibility of their own survival at very young ages.
This evocative video is an excellent resource for anyone interested in "Third World" issues and politics, South American studies and the rights of children.