ONCE UPON A BOY

The Hessing family copes with the day-to-day challenges of life while raising three children, among them Ron, who has cerebral palsy. Ron is intelligent, charming and full of life, but every day, his movements are becoming increasingly limited. This, while he watches his twin brother run and play soccer with their younger sibling. The film follows this remarkable family’s struggles as the parents do everything in their power to raise three children who are happy with their lot, despite the unfathomable gap between them. A daring trip to the US to undergo a complex surgical procedure to halt the progress of the disease reveals different approaches to life. With sensitivity and remarkable honesty, this life-affirming documentary skillfully captures the dynamics of a family faced with the complexities of raising children with different abilities, and offers us a rare and intimate look at the incredible power of a loving family to overcome any obstacle together, and to embrace and live with one’s fate.