»I wouldn’t want our film to be simply pressed into a political scheme which then has you view it not as an artistic work but as a political message, and that in a country suffering from the extreme polarisation. No way may that happen, please write that down!«
– Maria Rondón, Neue Zürcher Zeitung

An apartment block in the urban hell of Caracas. Here, in cramped conditions, the nine-year-old Junior lives with his unemployed, widowed mother Marta and his little brother. Junior doesn’t like to play football with the other kids on the block. Instead, he dreams of long straight hair so that he can produce a smart photo for the school yearbook. Preferably looking as cool as a pop singer. As his appearance becomes all the more important to him, it increasingly gets him into trouble with his mother. For she worries in secret that he might be gay and sees this as a special challenge to life in the big city. And the more Junior tries to win her affections, the harder she treats her son …

Mariana Rondón closely observes the complex and confusing emptions that growing up can entail and also takes a subtle look at various issues of racism, homophobia and violence in Venezuelan society.

Awards for ›Bad Hair‹
Concha de oro 2013, San Sebastián Film Festival | Silver Astor, Best Direction & Best Script, Mar del Plata Film Festival | Fipresci Award & Bronce Alexander Jury Award, Thessaloniki Film Festival | Best Script & Best Actress, Torino Film Festival | Best Caribean Film, Puerto Rico Film Festival | Best Direction, Vina del Mar Film Festival, Chile | Best Actor/Actress, Festival du Nouveau Cinema, Montreal | Jury Award, Rencontres Cinématographiques Cannes | Jury Mention, Habana Film