Manito

A long day in the life of a Latino family struggling to survive in NY's Washington Heights, former crack cocaine capital of the world. Ex-con Junior (Franky G) is looking out for younger brother and recent graduate Manny (Minaya) against a backdrop of street violence, racial prejudice, police harassment and family tension (including an estranged drug-dealing father), with uneasy results. using a bilingual non-pro Spanish/American cast, shaky DV and a bag of cinematic tricks (light, speed and colour), writer/director Eason's first feature is a visual and aural feast of gritty documentary-style realism. Bleak, but sensational.