Kurt Held

Up until the middle of the 19Th century, poverty stricken mountain farmers from the Ticino area of Switzerland frequently sold their children to Milan as chimney sweeps or spazzacamini. That is also young Giorgios fate. He is forced to climb through pitch black chimneys, flinging down the soot with his bare hands. But he does not lose heart. Together with his buddies sharing in the same misery, he establishes the association of Black Brothers. They stick together, struggling against their penury and getting involved in fights with the street gangs of Milan. The film tells of the gripping adventures of the chimney sweep boys and their spectacular escape back to their native land.

In this sun soaked adventure for the entire family, a group of five orphaned children form their own makeshift family while attempting to operate outside the rules of society. Though they must sometimes steal to survive, their loyalty to one another means that they will always have a brother or sister to count on.

In the Croatian coastal town of Senj , orphans living on the fringes of society come together under the leadership of a girl who, because of her red hair , is called Rote Zora . The citizens of the city treat the destitute children like outcasts. Wild pranks are the reactions of the troops. In order to survive, the children become criminals, but within their community they adhere to fixed rules. Your top priority is solidarity. They call themselves Uskoks . The only one who feels connected to them is the old fisherman Gorian. The children help him to assert himself against the big fishing companies.