CHILDREN OF FATE covers thirty years in the life of Angela, a poor but gutsy Sicilian woman who battles poverty, crime, and an abusive husband to keep her family together.

In the three decades since she was originally filmed for the 1961 documentary CORTILE CASCINO, Angela has had three children and nine grandchildren. Although their apartments where the Cortile Cascino slums once existed are modern, the past remains with them. The children can't find work. The family confronts crises regularly - a son-in-law's death from a heroin overdose, a daughter's grave illness. But through all of it, a remarkable strength and hope is evident.

As it depicts one woman's attempt to keep her family together, CHILDREN OF FATE is a stark portrait of the culture of poverty.

'" * * * * * [5 out of 5 stars]! A Must-Have! A powerful program about the human condition and the ugliness of poverty. It brings new meaning to the old cliche about cruel fate and raises questions of sexism in a society where men can survive an aimless and worthless life, but women are sentenced to dealing with its resulting tragedies: starvation, disease, and physical abuse."—Video Rating Guide for Libraries