Study Guide Genres Archives: Fiction

Life and Nothing More

A stunning fusion of drama and real-life, Florida-based director Esparza’s remarkable second feature follows Regina, a single-mother, and her teenage son Andrew. As Regina brings another man into their lives, Andrew wrestles with young adulthood, first love, and his feelings about his absent father.

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Zoo

Young Tom Hall and his misfit friends fight to save “Buster” the baby elephant during the German air raid bombings of Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1941.

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Violet Perfume

Unhappy with her family life, teenager Yessica finds solace in a close friendship with shy Miriam. But when Yessica is raped by her step-brother and his friend, her despair overwhelms her, leading to tragic consequences.

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Trust

After carefree teenager Annie’s life is shattered by an online sexual predator, her parents (Clive Owen, Catherine Keener) struggle to help her pick up the pieces. As anger and disbelief drive her father’s desire for revenge, Annie is left to contend with her feelings of guilt and shame. Commanding performances by an ensemble cast drive this fiercely honest look at the devastating aftermath of rape

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Unknown Soldier

Bright, friendly and bubbling with hormones, Ellison is a typical Harlem teenager. He gets into good-natured mischief with his pals, stealing dogs and sneaking into amusement parks, and has a playful sexual tug-of- war with his girlfriend Tande. But when his father dies of a sudden heart attack, Ellison is evicted from their apartment and forced to grow up far too soon. Without relatives, he quickly runs out of friends’ houses to stay in and finds himself homeless and desperate. He declines a job with local drug dealer and longtime acquaintance Zee, but after being refused by the Army (asthma) and victimized in a homeless shelter, Ellison is out of options. As Zee’s personal assistant, he’s entrusted with harmless tasks which slowly give way to dangerous assignments that leave him desperate for a way out. Ferenc Toth’s astounding debut won Best Narrative Feature at the Los Angeles Film Festival.

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