"A poignant story of poverty and role reversal." – Vox Magazine

Thirteen-year-old Spartacus and his ten-year-old sister Cassandra grew up begging on the streets with their alcoholic father and flower-selling mother, first in Romania and now in France. To their needy parents, they're the caregivers, shouldering responsibilities well beyond their tender years.

Then 21-year-old trapeze artist Camille takes them in, offering a glimpse of a different life. The siblings are forced to choose between the family they love and the possibility of a brighter future, a heartbreaking decision that isn't made any easier by knowing the right option.

In a documentary both tough and touching, director Ioanis Nuguet observes their challenging plight with clarity and understanding. Tackling issues of homelessness and poverty, Spartacus & Cassandra charts a harsh coming-of-age journey no child should have to experience, and shows the wisdom that can spring from living through hardship.

MIFF recommends ages 12+

_{All films featured as part of the Next Gen program are approved for screening by the Australian Classification Board. Next Gen screenings are open to all ages, but people under the age of 15 must attend in the company of an adult guardian.}

School-group bookings are also available for this film; visit Next Gen for more details.