'Io Capitano' Review — Young Performers Excel In Harrowing Circumstances

At the start of Io Capitano, Senegalese teenagers Seydou (Seydou Sarr) and Moussa (Moustapha Fall) are told by a more experienced adult named Sisko that their dreams of going to Europe are not as foolproof as they think. Sisko tells the pair that traveling to Europe is deeply dangerous and, even when one arrives there, poverty and arduous hardships still exist. "It's not like it is on television," Sisko somberly remarks. The beckoning siren call of new opportunities and financial independence, however, leads Seydou and Moussa to take the risk. They’re leaving home behind for new terrain.