17 Blocks

3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

The incredible, miraculous, essential documentary 17 Blocks is truly difficult and heartbreaking to watch but, also, it's an act of fearlessness, a gesture of defiance, and a declaration of hope, all at once. (It can be viewed through the Roxie's virtual cinema.) 17 Blocks consists of a mix of home video footage and professional documentary footage. In 1999, in Washington D.C., filmmaker Davy Rothbart befriended 9 year-old Emmanuel and 15 year-old Smurf in a pick-up basketball game. He gave Emmanuel his video camera, and the boy began filming himself and his family. We meet their mother, Cheryl Sanford, whose dreams of a better life have clearly not come true... (More)

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