George Washington

A little like Gummo re-imagined by Terrence Malick, Green's extraordinary debut feature is a film without a centre. Narrated by a young girl, it shows vignettes from life in a small Southern dirt town around 4 July, focusing mainly on the kids (most of whom are black) and a notably laidback railroad track repair crew. Nothing of consequence happens until one boy dies in an accident and the others decide to hide his body rather than report the death; after that, the group fragments and each kid starts to edge towards maturity. Lyrically shot in 'Scope by Tim Orr, the film absorbs elements of documentary and improvisation to produce a remarkably organic whole.