Los reyes del mundo

During the Colombian civil war, many plots of land were seized by paramilitary groups. Thanks to the peace negotiations with the FARC, the Colombian government has now made it its mission to return the land to its rightful owners. That is how Rá one day receives a letter naming him the heir to his late grandmother’s house. The house is situated on a large plot of land in the village of Baja Cauca, in northern Colombia.

Rá, who has been living on the streets of the city of Medellín for years, doesn’t have to think twice. Together with four friends, he battles poverty, hunger, homelessness, and crime day in and day out. Owning a piece of land is their chance to break that cycle. Rá has long dreamed of a place in the world where he can live freely and carefree—a place without hunger or poverty, a place without injustice.

The five boys set off together on a journey through Colombia, but it’s not without danger. They have to cross the country illegally and without money. Along the way, they jump into the beds of trucks and run into criminal gangs. Can they reach their kingdom? And will their miserable lives finally get better?

Laura Mora Ortega has made “Los reyes del mundo” more than just a socially realistic story about young people who want to break the cycle of poverty. The film is a thrilling road movie in which the camera runs, jumps, and plays along with the boisterous characters.