On Wheels is an adventurous road movie and a coming-of-age drama set in a small town in Brazil. 13-year-old Lucas returns to school following a long absence due to a serious accident. Learning to adapt to his new life using a wheelchair, Lucas overcomes feelings of defeat when he befriends a free-spirited classmate, Lais.
One day Lais shows Lucas a photograph of the father she’s never met, whom her mother refuses to talk about. When they discover a possible lead as to where he might have gone, Lais convinces Lucas to join her on a journey “on wheels” (she on her traditional bicycle and he on his wheelchair bike). Travelling together through the lush Brazilian countryside, the kids discover the independence they need to resolve their past experiences and accept what it means for each of them to “be different.”
Recommended for ages 9+
Director Biography
Mauro D`Addio is a Brazilian director and scriptwriter. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Cinema from FAAP (Sao Paulo). In 2016 he released the youth short film Kunumi, the Native Thunder which was selected for the Prix Jeunesse (DE) and won Best Documentary at Divercine (UY). Among several works, his fiction film highlights are the shorts Disorder and Unveiled Mary, which won the Revelation Prize at the Sao Paulo International Film Fest. On Wheels is his first feature film.