CHOP SHOP (2007)
A film by Ramin Bahrani
Widely praised at the Cannes, Berlin and Toronto Film Festivals,
CHOP SHOP is the second remarkable feature from the
internationally acclaimed young director Ramin Bahrani, who was
recently hailed “the new great American film director” by eminent
critic Roger Ebert.
On the outskirts of Queens, and just steps from some of New York’s
most iconic landmarks, Alejandro, a tough and ambitious Latino
street orphan on the verge of adolescence, lives and works in a
‘Chop Shop’ - an illegal workshop breaking stolen cars for the
purpose of selling them as parts. In this ramshackle world of mud,
rust, graffiti, and twisted scrap metal populated by illegal immigrants
and low-level adult criminals, young Alejandro struggles to pursue
his goal of making a better life for himself and his spirited 16-yearold sister, Isamar.
Intimate, heartbreaking and yet ultimately uplifting, CHOP SHOP is
a masterwork of low-budget precision and improvisation in portraying a child navigating his way
through a chaotic adult world in search of his own slice of the American dream.
“miraculous… unexpected, and inspired, and brave.”
Roger Ebert
“faint echoes of ‘Bicycle Thieves’… Touching, funny, sad and beautifully
observed.”
Geoff Andrew, TIME OUT LONDON
“A flawlessly observed piece of street realism, and an unforgiving parable of American
economic reality.”
Jonathan Romney, SCREEN INTERNATIONAL
“perfectly rendered” 4 STARS
TIME OUT NEW YORK
OFFICIAL SELECTION - IN COMPETITION – Cannes Film Festival 2007
OFFICIAL SELECTION - IN COMPETITION - Berlin Film Festival 2008
Bonus Features:
Exclusive interview with director Ramin Bahrani
Rehearsal footage
Stills Gallery
Trailer
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 84 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 anamorphic
Audio: Dolby Stereo
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Drama
Region: 2
Cat. No: AXM601
Barcode: 5060126870500