Plank

The 15-year-old Dutch-Moroccan Nassim is a skateboarder -- even though he is well aware that Moroccans are supposed to like soccer or kickboxing. "They just don't think it's cool," he explains. "When they think of skaters, they think of that Gothic shit and people with black nail polish." Now that his parents are divorced, Nassim lives with his mother and sisters. Things were "not cool" at home before his folks split. Watching old family videos, he talks about his relationship with his father: "He was more interested in teaching me a lesson than teaching me stuff." Because his father did not keep his word about paying for soccer, Nassim started skating -- it is free, after all, and you can do it anywhere. Nassim wants to become a pro-skater when he is older. School, a job, or his own family are low on his list, so every day he practices dangerous stunts with his skate buddies. "Skating is my springboard to another world." This is the first year that Nassim will not be joining his family on their annual vacation to Morocco. He is participating in big skating competitions, including the Grand Prix of Rotterdam. Nassim demonstrates his coolest moves, although it sometimes ends up causing him (and even the camera) physical damage. The film also features some remarkable competition footage and a soundtrack with everything from hip-hop to the folk rock of Cat Stevens. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)