All the Invisible Children (2005)

Made to benefit UNICEF and the World Food Program, "All the Invisible Children" is the latest omnibus film produced for a worthy cause. The subject is underprivileged and exploited children. From Africa to China, Brazil to Brooklyn, the harsh lives of these ignored and thus invisible children are movingly illustrated. Directors Spike Lee, Ridley Scott, Emir Kusturica and John Woo, who contributed four of the seven episodes, each 16 to 18 minutes long, should generate enough interest to get film buffs, fests, cable webs and pubcasters aboard.

Plot summary : Seven shorts about childhood problem through the eyes of seven directors. 1) "Tanza": Mehdi Chafer shows a boy called Tanza in an undefined country in Africa fighting in a civil war with machine gun and explosives, and dreaming on having his home and going to school.   2) "Uros": Emir Kusturica shows a gypsy boy called Uros in his last day in a juvenile prison in Serbia-Montenegro without any other perspective but returning to the place.   3) "Jesus Children of America": Spike Lee shows a HIV positive girl called Blanca, daughter of junkies' parents with Aids and the cruelty of her schoolmates in school.   4) "Bilu and João": Kátia Lund gives an optimistic approach of two homeless children that fight to survive working on the streets, collecting beer and soda tins and paper to sell in a junkyard, and transporting shops in street fairs.    5) "Jonathan": Jordan and Ridley Scott show a photographer correspondent of war in pain for his past experiences.   6) "Ciro": Stefano Veneruso shows a young boy in Naples that pickpockets to survive.   7) "Song Son and Little Cat": John Woo shows a tale of fantasy, with a homeless orphan and a spoiled wealthy girl.