1999 Student Academy Award
In the summer of 1998, as a part of a major drive to clear Moscow's streets of tramps and beggars of all ages before the International Youth Olympics, government officials conducted mass deportation of those they consider "undesirable."
"Undesirables" is a documentary about the Russia Police Force and their determination to escort the homeless youth out of Moscow during high profile events such as the 1998 International Youth Olympics.
The film follows the stories of four youths in different parts of Russia. Three of them have runaway from their provincial homes to Moscow. The film depicts Moscow's juvenile detention center, where the police herd runaway children during official events to keep them off the streets. "Undesirables" documents the children's eventually deportation from Moscow back to their abusive families, or to reform schools in the provinces. We also see the story of the child in the empoverished provincial town, thousands of miles from the well-off capital.
Details
Running time: 23 min.
Year released: 1999
Color: Y
Format: Streaming
Language: Russian, English Subtitles
Subtitled: Y
For classroom: Y
Study guide: N
Grade level: 6th and up
Credits:
Director: MARIANNA YAROVSKAYA
Producers: MARIANNA YAROVSKAYA and OLESYA BONDAREVA
Executive Producers: MITCHELL W BLOCK and MARK JONATHAN HARRIS