Roberta’s Gift (F) (D)

A young couple, owners of a small convenience store in East Los Angeles, notices that grocery items are disappearing from their inventory. Little do they know that the culprit is their own nine-year-old daughter. She is giving fruits and her lunch money to a homeless person every morning when she walks to school. Feeling his little girl is being exploited; the father explodes in a rage against the bum, only to be shocked and embarrassed when the assumed man is really a woman. To make amends, the family invites her to a memorable Thanksgiving dinner they will always remember. And when she dies unexpectedly, they honor her with a unique Christmas gift. Referencing both the Columbine and Virginia Tech shootings, “Roberta’s Gift,”is a moving, sentimental drama about personal loss, forgiveness, hope, and the love of family. Writers: Eric Nemoto, Jon Brekke. Pages: 58.