Emmy prize-winner Alexander Nanau has succeeded in creating a wonderful observational documentary with his film TOTO AND HIS SISTERS, which has a narrative that allows its viewers an uncompromising and profound insight into a disturbing living environment. It is a film that tells of the great suffering, infinite courage and astonishing strength of a child. 10-year old Toto lives with his family on the fringes of Romanian society. His mother is in prison; his older sister, Ana (17), takes heroin and the second sister, Andrea (15), is always escaping her so-called family. Little Toto struggles day in day out to maintain his dignity within this incomprehensively hard environment. He takes small steps to free himself from this milieu, accompanied by an adult friend, by learning to dance, read and write. The film relentlessly shows what it means to children to be confronted by the reality that drug addiction destroys family ties. Sometimes for children, "family" is the most dangerous place in the world. This film's biggest achievement lies in the closeness with its protagonists and the intensity with which it immerses its audience in this world. A touching and shocking film, but also a courageous and optimistic one, that broaches the issue of child independence.
