This film is part of our series BUITENBEENTJES: CAST OUT, showing in January and February at De Uitkijk.
A mosaic of the grotesque lives of "white trash" youth in a decaying American suburb.
In Xenia, Ohio—just a few years after a devastating tornado ravaged the town—poverty, boredom, and lethargy reign supreme. Moreover, there doesn’t seem to be a single “normal” person in Xenia; everyone suffers from some form of illness, disorder, or addiction. Through fragmented scenes, we follow the daily exploits of several young residents who, in their search for relief from relentless boredom, engage in absurd and often disturbing activities. They ride bikes, urinate in public, abuse cats, drink milkshakes, prostitute disabled sisters, sniff glue, and more, all to unsettling effect.
Harmony Korine’s directorial debut is completely unique. A daring portrait that is anything but mocking or disparaging; despite everything, viewers may find themselves feeling a strange sympathy. Gummo is a hallucinatory journey through the hidden, unsanitary underbelly of American society—a film you simply must see.