Ricardo, 37, recounts a pivotal childhood moment from 1981 when he was 11 and starting grade 6. He was obsessed with material possessions, feeling his working-class parents didn't provide for his desires. He longed for a $400 calculator watch and other luxury items to impress his peers. His father, Benito, a mysterious figure, was his idol, and Ricardo believed he could be a lawyer if he had the means. The family moved to a higher-class neighborhood, amplifying Ricardo's pressure to fit in. He developed a crush on Anne, the "brains" of the class, and began telling lies to impress her and his classmates. Two incidents, one with each parent, changed his perspective and revealed Anne's imperfections.
The Year I Became a Liar
A filmmaker reminisces about the pivotal moments that unfolded when his family relocated to a new neighborhood in his pre-teen years, profoundly impacting his youth.
