Daughter of Rage

In Nicaragua’s fifth feature film ever (and the first from a female filmmaker, Laura Baumeister), an 11-year-old girl and her mother live in poverty near the country’s largest landfill, scraping by and selling their scavenged goods, until unforeseen circumstances force them to confront an uncaring outside world. —M.G.

DAUGHTER OF RAGE is the first narrative feature directed by a Nicaraguan woman. In her poignant but stark debut, Laura Baumeister depicts the ongoing waste crisis in her home country through the eyes of a resolute girl. Maria and her mother, Lilibeth, live on the edge of an overflowing landfill amid abject poverty. Lilibeth does her best to keep them afloat by collecting garbage and selling dogs on the black market. But when a critical deal falls through, Maria’s mother leaves her at a recycling plant, where she must work alongside other children to earn her meals and lodgings. Furious with her mother’s abandonment and desperate to find a way home, Maria experiences fleeting comfort in her dreams and the friendship of a perceptive, sickly boy. Through moments of magical realism set against a harsh reality, de Montis captures the anger, loneliness, and—above all—resilient imagination of a child forced into desperate circumstances. —D.O.

Content Warning: This film contains material that may be difficult for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.

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