SURVIVAL UNDER (Romania, 1998)
There are many street children in the Romanian capital, Bucharest. They live in groups of from five to ten persons, are between 9 and 22 years old, and obtain what money they can by stealing, begging, and sometimes working. They come out of orphanages, or from families with a history of alcoholism and domestic violence. To a large extent they live underground, in a system of tunnels carrying steam pipes. They shelter there, sniffing glue, listening to music from stolen radios, and dreaming of a better life. A cardboard box or a construction of wire and wooden planks serves as a bed. The light comes from candles they have stolen from local churches. Flowers stuck in a broken bottle contribute further to the illusion of a real and warm home.
