This section is composed of two movies focusing on young people living in two profoundly different cities, New York and Manila.

Movies and documentaries have often told the story of youth in a globalized society. The themes that are dealt with are numerous: the increasingly confusing prospect of work; urban spaces, as well as schools, that are characterized by a “cohabitation” and sometimes a conflict between different cultures and traditions; cities that have become metropoles where people’s social identity is increasingly defined by a sense of belonging to a gang or a group, or by a contrast between one’s identity and that of the “other,” defined as different from “us;” the definition of sexuality. Yet, today it is increasingly difficult to define the boundaries between social and biological youth. There are children who work and adults who have precarious jobs and are unable to emancipate themselves from their families. Highlighting the fact that “youth” is not a homogenous social category, the films presented in this section do not seek to offer a linear and didascalic interpretation, which “adults” can use to understand an abtract and alien social group. These two movies stand alone, for their cinematographic qualities and their ability to narrate real and realistic collective and individual experiences, without being shy about showing reality, violence, sexuality, drug abuse, and without needing to think about the categories of good and bad in schematic and scholastic ways. These two titles contribute to an analysis of the ways in which relations among generations are changing.
Half Nelson was awarded the jury’s special prize at the 2006 Locarno International Film Festival. Tribu won a prize as best film, best sound and best group of actors at the 2007 Cinemalaya.