Saimir (2004)

Saimir is an Albanian boy who lives in Italy with his father, Edmond, who is involved in shady dealings, including facilitating illegal immigration. But the boy cannot stomach the fact that his father has found himself a new Italian partner, and he would like to have an ordinary job. One evening, he meets his cousin Urtman at a bar. Urtman is involved in the exploitation of prostitution, and Saimir goes for a drive with him. Urtman offers him cocaine to snort and takes him, along with one of his women, to a nightclub, where he invites Saimir to go with a prostitute. The next day, at the seaside, Saimir meets Michela, an Italian girl from a respectable family who has no prejudice against immigrants, and the two develop a certain rapport. Even so, Saimir does not hesitate to help his friend Daniel commit a theft, driving the moped they use to escape; however, when their Roma fence offers them “a little job,” Saimir turns him down. Saimir starts seeing Michela and would like to give her a gold necklace, but his father refuses to give him the money because he needs to buy a new van. Saimir then asks the fence for an advance. The next time he meets Michela, he takes her to an abandoned house where he has his secret hideout and gives her the gift. But Michela, already ill at ease because of the squalid surroundings, refuses the jewelry and leaves. That evening, Edmond and his partner tell the boy that they intend to get married. Shaken, Saimir goes to look for Michela at school the next day and confronts her in class, accusing her of not respecting him; he then has to flee when school staff intervene. Together with Daniel and some Roma boys, he takes part in a burglary at a luxurious villa. His accomplices overpower the maid, but Saimir notices that there is also a frail old man in the house and leaves him alone. A few evenings later, Edmond goes with Saimir to the port to pick up, on Urtman’s behalf, a fifteen-year-old girl named Sharon, a fellow Albanian, along with the man who seduced her. He has led her to believe they were going to Milan, but in reality he intends to hand her over to Urtman and his associates so they can put her to work as a prostitute. Saimir remains in the truck after his father and the passengers get out. He has a pang of conscience and refuses the generous tip his father offers him. One day, while his father attends a wedding with his partner, Saimir refuses to go to the ceremony. Instead, he goes to the beach, where Urtman has a shack, and finds Sharon in one of its rooms, bearing signs of having been beaten. Urtman’s men beat Saimir too and call Edmond to come and get him. Saimir accuses his father of being no better than them and rides away on his moped: he goes to the Carabinieri and tells them about Urtman’s and his father’s dealings. Sharon is freed as a result; Saimir is separated from Edmond, and an uncertain future opens up before him, probably in a group home.