Bora Bora 2011

Mia is a girl who feels lonely and out of place, longing for something different because her mom is always busy. When there isn’t a moment to connect, Mia finds running to be the one true escape, a way to feel free from the monotony and stress of everyday life. Her solitary routine begins to crack when she crosses paths with a streetwise kid named Zack, a pickpocket who dresses his crimes with a casual charm.

At first, [Zack] tries to steal from her by employing a classic trick—acting hurt to draw sympathy—only to attempt the same ruse on the same street again, which makes Mia suspicious. She confronts him, and he admits that he stole her purse. They share a conversation over coffee, and Mia asks about the world of theft that surrounds him. Zack explains that he’s part of a group of young pick-pockets who squat in an abandoned mansion. He introduces Mia to the entire gang and tentatively suggests that she could become part of their circle.

In the dim, makeshift world of the group, Mia meets the rest of the misfits and, most importantly, Silja, the gang’s leader who does not trust her right away. Mia soon learns that she isn’t alone in her troubled home life; the others open up about their own hurts, and they even engage in an informal “arms race” to see whose past is the bleakest. The gang offers a sense of belonging and solace, and after proving herself, Mia discovers a natural talent for running that convinces Silja to invite her to join.

Leaving her old life behind, Mia steps fully into the gang’s world. Yet life inside the group is not the carefree dream she imagined. Silja exercises tight control and imposes a strict rule: No dating inside the gang. This rule strains Mia as she and Zack begin to develop genuine feelings for each other. Zack reveals that Silja once dated him, and that she harbors a strong crush on him, complicating the dynamics within the group. Meanwhile, the gang has been amassing savings to carve out their own place of freedom, with Bora-Bora as the dream destination they hope to reach.

As the plan inches toward reality, Mia and Zack decide to date in secret, hoping to preserve their bond even as the group nears its goal. The moment of reckoning arrives when Silja announces that they can finally travel and use the money to get away. But Silja’s true aim becomes clear: she intends to travel away with Zack and the funds, leaving the rest behind. Confrontations flare, and a physical fight ensues, culminating in Silja’s arrest after she’s found with the group’s money. Faced with the consequences of this life, Mia realizes it isn’t what she wants. She chooses to walk away from the gang, return to school, and reclaim her ordinary life, choosing to continue dating Zack openly and on her own terms.