True Smile

Spanish filmmaker Juan Rayos's memorable documentary celebrates the power of brotherly love and the indefatigable nature of the human spirit. Based in central Spain, Sergio Aznárez Rosado and his brother Juan Manuel Aznárez Rosado decide to embark on an 807-mile journey on a tandem bicycle cross-country to visit a friend in Morocco. The physical journey is harrowing enough as the siblings pedal up and down mountains and across deserts, but Sergio has the added challenge of being blind (since birth) and autistic (diagnosed at age three). The film captures the brothers' teamwork in achieving a truly remarkable odyssey that taxes their athleticism and relationship. Much attention is paid to Sergio's ability to overcome the limitations that the wider society has imposed upon him, although True Smile emphatically affirms that disabled is not synonymous with unable—indeed, Sergio is such a winning personality that it is easy to forget that he is setting out on this improbable trek with considerable odds against him. A warm and compelling documentary portrait, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)