Plot Summary

A Boy Called Twist, directed by Tim Greene, reimagines Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist against the backdrop of contemporary South Africa. After a childhood spent in a rural orphanage, Twist is sent to work on a farm under harsh and exploitative conditions. He eventually runs away, seeking a life of freedom in Cape Town, but finds himself drawn into a street gang led by Fagin. Life in the city brings a mixture of opportunity and danger. Twist encounters adults who take advantage of his vulnerability, while crime, drugs and poverty become increasingly difficult to escape. As he tries to survive on the streets, he must decide who he can trust and whether there is a place where he can finally find the security and affection he has been searching for.