Full Description
Meet the lost boys of Tel Aviv: the skater-im. These adrenaline junkies forsake jobs, romantic relationships, even a roof over their heads to master the perilous art of skateboarding. The tragic hero of this documentary is Mohammed Kahil, an Israeli-Arab skateboard champion struggling to escape the “ghetto” life and make a home with his Jewish girlfriend, Alina. The charming dreamer runs with a crew who meet in the parking lots, back alleys, median strips and sordid public spaces of Israel’s pleasure capital to perform daring tricks. These boy-men eschew the Israeli ethos of military service, capitalist pursuits and domesticity—and risk bruises, broken bones, public disdain and run-ins with security guards and police—to do what they love most. Featuring an excellent, pulsating soundtrack by Israeli rock star Rami Fortis, the film offers a glimpse of what the culture of skateboarding looks like in the absence of American corporate sponsorship—and the carefree promise of a brighter future.
