The Dark Side of the Sun

For some children the sun is an enemy. A very rare skin disease, the ‘xeroderma pigmentosum’, also known as XP, forces a group of children to conduct their lives hidden from daylight and the sun. Horror and science fiction stories portray these children as “vampires” (as seen in some major Hollywood blockbusters). The truth, as usual, is much more complex. To be exposed to the sun’s rays could lead to skin tumours and severe burns. But thanks to the people of Camp Sundown, a small but very efficient facility just outside New York, created by some of the parents of the kids affected by XP, these children can finally hope to lead a life full of surprises and emotions. Director Carlo Shalom Hintermann, son of the Swiss actor Carlo Hintermann, turns all the clichés of the documentary about children with severe illnesses upside down. Carefully interwoven between an intimate observational approach and innovative animation that reflects the influence of Miyazaki Hayao’s best work, the film is a journey to the other side of the night. A place where light and darkness meet; where children no longer have to be afraid of the sun.

Giona A. Nazzaro