Little Mo

Although Mohammed isn't that tall yet, he'll be going to high school next year. This short documentary follows his life during the final weeks of middle school. He may be a bit of a rascal, but he opens up to filmmaker Sjoerd Oostrik about the changes in his life. He complains about the weird clothes his classmates have to wear for the musical they'll be performing as a farewell, and laughs that he has it easy: he'll just be playing himself. He regales us with the violent stories he's heard about his new school, where boys get into fights with other students all the time. And he reflects on how he'll change his behavior to work on a better future. We see him in class, during the musical rehearsals, on the soccer field during a school tournament and when he and his parents find out his grades. Low-angle shots of the hallways of a high school represent the vague feeling of dread this tough little guy feels.