Lullabies For Little Criminals: A Haunting Journey Through Adolescence

Production Details

Title: Lullabies For Little Criminals

Format: Feature Film

Production Begins: Active Development

Producer: Shawn Williamson – Emily Alden

Writer/Director: Sarah Gadon

Synopsis: Baby, all of 13 years old, is lost in the gangly, coltish moment between childhood and the strange pulls and temptations of the adult world. Her mother is dead; her father, Jules, is scarcely more than a child himself and is always on the lookout for his next score. Baby knows that “chocolate milk” is Jules’ slang for heroin and sees a lot more of that in her house than the real article. But she takes vivid delight in the scrappy bits of happiness and beauty that find their way to her, and moves through the threat of the streets as if she’s been choreographed in a dance. Soon, though, a hazard emerges that is bigger than even her hard-won survival skills can handle. Alphonse, the local pimp, has his eye on her for his new girl; he wants her body and soul – and what the johns don’t take he covets for himself. At the same time, a tender and naively passionate friendship unfolds with a boy from her class at school, who has no notion of the dark claims on her – which even her father, lost on the nod, cannot totally ignore. Jules consigns her to a stint in juvie hall, and for the moment this perceived betrayal preserves Baby from terrible harm – but after that, her salvation has to be her own invention.

Company name:

Brightlight Pictures
2400 Boundary Rd
Burnaby, BC V5M 3Z3

info@brightlightpictures.com
Phone: 604-628-3000

Company name:

Elevation Pictures
225 Richmond Street West, Suite 501
Toronto, ON M5V 1W2

info@elevationpictures.com
Phone: 416-583-5800

About Lullabies For Little Criminals

Baby is a 13-year-old girl navigating the complexities of adolescence while grappling with loss and danger. With her mother gone and her father, Jules, preoccupied with his lifestyle, she faces the bleak realities of her environment, where drugs permeate her daily life. Despite the challenges, Baby finds moments of joy and beauty, navigating her surroundings with a sense of resilience and agility. As threats arise from figures like Alphonse, a local pimp, Baby must confront the darker aspects of her life. Meanwhile, a budding friendship with a boy from school provides a glimmer of hope, contrasting sharply with the predicaments she faces at home. Her father’s choices lead her to juvenile hall, a temporary escape that forces Baby to rely on her strength for her future.