Reminiscent of the post-war Italian Neo-Realism of Vittorio De Sica and Roberto Rossellini, The City (La Ciudad), is an interesting first film by writer-director David Riker. Set at present and boasting an intricate dramatic structure, the film presents an emotionally devastating portrait of disenfranchised Latin American immigrants in New York City.
Though it’s a powerful and incisive drama about loneliness, displacement and economic hardship, The City doesn’t neglect to show the prevalence of love and hope among its characters. Directed with a strong measure of authenticity and relying on non-professional performers, The City is a highly compassionate, humanist film.
The movie won the hearts of viewers at the Toronto and San Sebastian Film Festivals and was cited as Best Film of the Havana Film Festival.
Running Time: 88 minutes