Must-See Movie of the Week Scores 3.6/5: A Tribute to Youth and the Joy of Living!

Having won the SACD Prize at the Critic’s Week during the recent Cannes Film Festival, Guillermo Galoe’s debut film “Ciudad sin sueño” premiered this week in theaters. The film offers a profound exploration of a Romani community on the outskirts of Madrid and has garnered positive reviews from the French media, achieving a score of 3.65 out of 5. It stands as the top-rated film of the week, surpassing “The Gospel of Revolution” and “Haifa Chronicles – Palestinian Stories”.

What’s the Story?

“Toni, a 15-year-old Romani boy, lives in Europe’s largest illegal shantytown on the outskirts of Madrid. Proud of his family of scrap dealers, he shadows his grandfather everywhere. However, as their land becomes targeted by demolishers, the family faces a divide: while some choose to move to the city, his grandfather steadfastly refuses to leave their home. Over the course of several nights, Toni is faced with a decision: to leap towards an uncertain future or cling to the world of his childhood.”

The Critics’ Take:

According to Bande à part:

“A powerful energy courses through this deep dive into a shantytown on the periphery of Madrid. A ‘sleepless city’ that impresses with its stylistic mastery and captivating narrative. It’s a tribute to youth, community, friendship, and the will to live, showcasing the explosive debut of director Guillermo Galoe.” By Olivier Pélisson – 4/5

According to Cahiers du Cinéma:

“Ciudad sin sueño does not idealize its setting, where daily life is darkened by drug dealing and poverty, nor does it resort to a grim portrayal of social misery. The horizon isn’t sealed off.” By Élodie Tamayo – 4/5

According to Le Parisien:

“Ultimately, this debut film is spirited and touching…” By Renaud Baronian – 4/5

According to Les Fiches du Cinéma:

“Driven by the authenticity of its non-professional actors, Guillermo Galoe’s film is a call to freedom, both in its message and its form.” By Margherita Gera – 4/5

According to Les Inrockuptibles:

“Through the artifice of its oddly colored and oversaturated images, the filmmaker weaves an emotional reflection on friendship as the connection of two gazes that project the same expectations, speak the same language.” By Marilou Duponchel – 4/5

According to Télérama:

“An impressive first film, where beauty shines through the darkness.” By Mathilde Blottière – 4/5

According to L’Obs:

“From this tension, the young filmmaker creates the focal point of a seismic debut film (winner of the SACD Prize at the Critic’s Week this year), where fiction is enriched by the rough approach of the documentary. The fusion reaches its peak in sequences where the young protagonist films his own images, intimate and surreal testimonies of his social reality.” By Xavier Leherpeur – 3/5

According to Première:

“Drawing from real-life situations, the film blurs the line between fiction and documentary. The element of dreaminess and whimsy, justifying the use of fiction, is sometimes too subtle but gives Ciudad sin sueño its finest moments.” By Nicolas Moreno – 3/5