Where Eskimos Live (2002)

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A man and a boy, both of whom have been victimized by war, are brought together by the same conflict that threatens them both in this drama. In 1995, Bosnia is being torn apart by war, and nine-year-old Vlado (Sergiusz Zymelka) is one of thousands of children caught in the middle of the conflict. Vlado's parents are dead, and the boy has been left to fend for himself; when the misery around him becomes too much do deal with, Vlado drifts into a fantasy world where he's transported to Norway, and frolics with friendly Eskimos. In the course of his travels, Vlado meets Sharkey (Bob Hoskins), a rough-hewn Englishman who claims to be a caseworker for UNICEF. Actually, Sharkey is rounding up children for a black market adoption ring in Poland. Sharkey persuades Vlado to join him, assuming the boy would fetch a fair price, and Vlado, unaware of Sharkey's true intentions, says yes. Sharkey and Vlado soon become unlikely friends, but Sharkey soon learns getting Vlado out of the country may not be so simple; Sharkey is working in cahoots with a corrupt military officer (Krzysztof Majchrzak) who is convinced that a gang of preteen hoodlums are responsible for the death of his daughter -- a gang that claims Vlado as a member. Where Eskimos Live received its American premier at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi