A Year of Hope

The documentary is a coming-of-age story about a group of boys from the streets of the capital of the Philippines, Manila, who get a chance to change their lives. They are offered a one-year stay at the Stairway Project Rehabilitation Centre on an island far away from the city which, in comparison to their past lives, is a true paradise. Many of the boys have been sexually abused, are addicted to drugs, have been victims of domestic violence and have witnessed killings. The film’s protagonists are 13-year-old Tracy, who more than anything else wishes to be a ladyboy, and silent 15-year-old Joshua, who has forgotten how to smile. The film follows the boys’ development and attempts to escape their pasts, and investigates if it’s possible to change life paths which are already on the wrong track.