Mondo

Ovidiu Balan, playing a homeless Gypsy boy, made this movie worth seeing. The movie, in itself, is visually stunning. More of a video documentary than anything, it has very little dialogue....and maybe that's a good thing. Words get in the way sometimes.

From what I have heard, Ovidiu Balan is not French and was deported after the making of the movie.

Mondo begins like a quiet, almost whimsical tale of a mysterious boy drifting through the streets of Nice. With minimal dialogue and an observational style, it may seem droll at first, but stick with it, focus, and don't try to decode the storyline... You won't figure it out.

As the story unfolds, a subtle twist emerges that forces you to reconsider everything you've just seen. The film's strength lies in its quiet depth and the emotional weight it reveals in hindsight. A second viewing brings out hidden layers and powerful "a-ha" moments. Thoughtful, well-acted, and deeply affecting-a quietly profound experience.

This little-known film turned out to be a gem.

Mondo is a young vagrant boy living in Nice. He is free-spirited, joyful and does what he wants, with nobody telling him what to do. He would spend time walking the streets of Nice, go for a swim in the sea or join a lonely fisherman on the pier. Mondo is mostly met with a lot of goodwill. He would get cuts of freshly baked bread from the kind lady at the bakery, or fresh fruit from the open-air market. Mondo has many friends; we see him joining a beggar who has a suitcase with two beloved white doves, and meeting a busker whose effort he assists by passing his money collecting plate around. Then there is the childless Vietnamese lady who takes Mondo in and cares for him when he falls sick.

The antagonists in the story are 'welfare' officials who are out to capture Mondo and take away his freedom. In a disturbing allegory we witness how other officials catch stray dogs to take to the pound. Would Mondo escape the officials and retain his freedom?

Mondo seems mythical; he may not even be real. The film subtly compares the cost of conformity with that of freedom and individuality.

This film superficially may seem to be thin on the plot, but believe me, it is not a simple as it seems. Watch it carefully; it has a lot to offer below the surface.

This film speaks to the senses. The sound of a knife cutting through a crusty loaf of bread, the soothing splash of swells lapping against the side of a boat. Excellent cinematography accentuates the visual. A few memorable scenes: Rainwater collecting on a water-lily leaf; a wet but seemingly happy Mondo sheltering from the rain whilst a bedraggled and soaked dog in the next scene looks everything but happy; an insect moving to the sheltered side of a leaf as the rain continues. A small boat pulling against its mooring in the ebb of the tide. And then there is the surreal scene of oranges, with messages written all over them, washing up onto the beach. The attention to detail is remarkable. The soundtrack is excellent too.

'Mondo' reminds me of the importance of appreciating the world around us for what it is, uncluttered by preconceptions or indifference.

The young actor who plays Mondo, Ovidiu Balan, does so with distinction. The performances by the other actors (Philippe Petit, Schahia Aalam, Pierette Fesch, Jerry Smith and Maurice Maurin) are excellent too. The director, Tony Gatlif must be commended for producing this rewarding and splendid meditative work of art.

I score 'Mondo' a well-deserved 9/10.

I can't review Tony Gatlif's films without some bias. I was absolutely blown away by Swing. Mondo is, actually, a different world. Of hues, colours, dreams and a very powerful story. Maybe one with which I feel deeply related to.

Mondo could be an angel fallen form heaven. His relationship with Nature and all of its signs and sounds is as if he's part of a different world than any populous city. There's no way to know where he comes from. He could be a Gypsy, but he's not. He could be a homeless boy. But, alas, he's not. The story told by Gatlif here is one of redemption from this world. We pretty easily outgrow any capacity left in us to wonder, to imagine, to admire the world as it is. We, as denizens of any big and dehumanised society, become simple followers of a fate that is not devised by our own means, it is a fact of life. A mere realisation that we are in a merry-go-round that eventually will stop. In the meanwhile, we'd just cling on to it and, one day, let go.

Immersed in a world of haste and worries where a simple smile could move our lives into a deep understanding of ourselves, we choose not to. We choose to live it as it comes, no questions asked. And emptiness fill our souls, our hearts, our feelings, that are reduced to shyness, to duress or insensibility.

Mondo creates joy around him, because of his smile, his ways, his angelic power to touch souls and make them see the light. Mondo is not human. He even may not be real at all. But Mondo is here to remind us of the many missing things that make our lives, sometimes, empty, inconsistent and superficial.

Tony Gatlif is a master working with children. His Gypsy friends and actors are truthful to his otherworldliness. Mondo is the boy we all need to be reminded that growing up doesn't mean being stupid. And he's the soul to many. He reaches within and without whoever he touches with his smile.

Nice is portrayed as the soul-splitting cacophony of modern life, where Mondo always finds a way to connect with what matters for the soul. His life, a metaphor of a stray dog's, is transformed many times in front of our eyes in the life of a dog.

The execution of this film is flawless. The music is, as it always is with Gatlif's films, superb. Acting is magnificent, and Mondo is one of those roles played by non-actors that will be remembered for a long time.

By the way: someone pointed out that the nude scene of Mondo is out of place. If you watch the film and feel uncomfortable by this, you may not be normal: that is as significant as the other tens of clues Gatlif gives us to understand what he's trying to convey with the story.

A ten out of ten. Hey!, and don't miss Swing, another beautiful story.

This film is similar to "The Sixth Sense" in that what you see is not what is reality. The ending is truly enlightening and makes the entire film come together. Of course I will not reveal the ending.

Pay attention to the early scenes. However, I didn't see the necessity of the nude scene in the middle of the film, nor the Muslim correlation.

But regardless, a quality film. If purchasing, beware of the edited versions and ensure you are purchasing the uncut version.

The acting is of high quality and the character development is first-rate. We truly feel the emotional attachments of the principals and also that of the bystanders who really contribute to the story line as did the townspeople in "The Emperor's New Clothes"