Study Guide Genres Archives: Fiction

La Playa D.C.

Tomás, an Afro-Colombian teenager driven from his home by war, settles with his brothers in the section of Bogota known as “La Playa.” Working as a barber’s apprentice, Tomás is just beginning to find a place for himself when his younger brother Jairo disappears. Tomás must make a risk-filled journey in search of Jairo, a rite of passage that forces him to find, and earn, his own identity in this impressive, wonderfully energetic debut film.

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Lemon Tree

Salma, a Palestinian widow (living there for decades), has to stand up against her new neighbor, the Israeli Defense Minister, when he moves into his new house opposite her lemon grove, on the green line border between Israel and the West Bank. A complex, dark and sometimes funny look at the ongoing struggle in the Middle East, in which all players find themselves alone in their struggle to survive.

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A Light Beneath Their Feet

Beth, an Evanston high school senior, has a bright future ahead. As she prepares to go to college, Beth must decide if she will stay near home and remain dedicated to caring for her bipolar mother or follow her own path. Emotionally raw and bracingly honest, this coming of-age drama balances the pull of familial obligations against personal aspirations.

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Made In China

A confident young man with a unique style and a solid entrepreneurial spirit has made it his mission to bring the small pleasures in life to a global market. But when he gets sucked into a world of scammers and schemers, this eternal optimist will have to figure out just how far he’s willing to pursue the American Dream.

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