Dignity

A coming-of-age tale exploring the friendship between a young boy and a local street-sweeper, Bogie, a taciturn figure who prefers to pass through life unnoticed by those who look down on him. Providing support to each other, they navigate a path to achieving Bogie’s ambition of retiring to a sailboat, and the boy surviving the challenges of early adolescence: the bullying he experiences; the angst of young love; and the frustration of dealing with Bogie when the older man decides to give up his dream.

At its heart, it is the story of a quiet man overcoming adversity and a young man finding his place in the world. With vivid characters and a sharply observed setting in 1980s New Zealand, Dignity reminds us that there is much to respect about those who choose to walk quietly among us.

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