Biutiful

Archive 2010: Out of Competition

Far removed from the hustle and bustle of the Catalan metropolis’ tourist trail, people are fighting for their lives in the El Ravel district of Barcelona – amongst them is Uxbal. The life of the single father of two small children is a constant battle for survival. In order to make ends meet, he sells illegal Chinese immigrants to local building companies, looks after an African black-market ring using his police contacts, and pretends to be able to communicate with the dead, a “gift” he uses to squeeze cash out of left-behind relatives. However, Uxbal is no villain, he simply reacts to economic pressure in an attempt to support his family the best he can – and carries the heavy moral burden associated with his work.