Jacques Doillon, director of the wildly loved <I>Ponette</I>, has crafted a wonderful follow-up, the gritty and authentic, yet also unexpectedly lyrical and buoyant <I>Petits Freres</I>. Talia, a 13-year-old girl who is already battle-weary from fighting with her mean stepfather, runs away from home with her beloved dog Kim. She meets up with a group of four boys her own age who take a grudging liking to her, which doesn't stop them from secretly stealing and selling Kim. Talia, distraught over the disappearance of her pet, strikes an uneasy alliance with the boys in an attempt to rescue Kim. Soon Talia and her gang of "petits freres" (little fellas) find real friendship and common humanity in their harsh surroundings.

Reader Reviews

Price: $19.95 Updated on 5-25-2009.