THE FOURTH KINGDOM: the kingdom of plastics

The Fourth Kingdom: The Kingdom of Plastics is a compassionate through-the-seasons study of a non-profit recycling and redemption center in New York called Sure We Can. Here, a diverse group of immigrants, homeless individuals and outcasts engages in work, friendship and deep thinking, forging a surrogate family. Ana, René, Malvin, Pierre, Eugene and Walter discuss God, physics, loneliness and UFOs while feeding kittens, playing music and recycling, in this artful observational film with touches of magic realism..

Sure We Can was founded by Spanish missionary Ana Martinez de Luco in 2007 and has since been a home for people previously living in the rough. As a mother figure, Ana provides guidance to canners and volunteers alike. One of her “sons” is René, a Mexican immigrant struggling to remain sober. Far from home with no prospects of returning, René watches videos of his children back home, as he diligently follows Alcoholics Anonymous’s 12-step program. Eugene and Pierre are also troubled. Once a jazz pianist, Pierre suffers from depression but finds solace and meaning picking up cans. Eugene also struggles with drug addiction. Despite making a living off recycling waste created by a consumerist culture, the Sure We Can family still dreams of a better tomorrow in a harsh capitalist society.