Tomorrow Will Be Better

Beneath the benches of a decrepit train station in Ukraine, between drunks and dog urine, you might find an adorable six-year-old named Petya. Petya, his brother Vasya, and their pal Liapa are homeless. It's not clear where they're from, but they have a goal. Poland is the land of their dreams, and they know that TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER. Petya is a tow-headed moppet with rotten teeth who cons bread from a doughy market lady and coins from a beautiful bride. Liapa has set up a military training regimen designed to get them safely across the Polish border by night. As the travelers make their way on foot or by train through sun-flecked fields of grain, one marvels at the beauty of a world where such children fall through the cracks. They subsist on bread and water, with the occasional chocolate or vodka if they're lucky. The sun really does shine brighter in Poland, and the fields there are dotted with wildflowers. But the grownups don't seem better at all. (In Russian and Polish with subtitles) –B.B.