Tue 30.05.2017 | 08:30Oskar's America (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children
Directed by: Torfinn Iversen
Norway, 2017, 79 min
Projection place: Mala scena
Score:
Info
Moving tale of extraordinary friendship against the backdrop of a broken family. Oskar's dream of spending the holidays with his mother on horseback on the prairie collides with dreary reality as she drops him off with his cantankerous grandfather for the summer. She must go first to America alone in order to find a job. Levi, a social outcast who talks with his pony becomes Oskar's only friend. When Levi has to go to a care home and Oskar's mother does not return, the two of them hatch a plan: using Levi's great-grandfather's boat, they will row across the Atlantic to America.
Tue 30.05.2017 | 08:30The Black Brothers (2013)
Section: Welcome to Switzerland
Directed by: Xavier Koller
Germany, Switzerland, 2013, 98 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
Up until the middle of the 19th century, poverty stricken mountain farmers from the Ticino area of Switzerland frequently sold their children to Milan as chimney sweeps. That is also young Giorgio’s fate. He is forced to climb through pitch black chimneys, flinging down soot with his bare hands. But he doesn’t lose heart. Together with his fellow sweeps, he establishes the association of Black Brothers. They stick together, struggling against their penury and get involved in fights with the street gangs of Milan. The film tells of the gripping adventures of the chimney sweep boys and their spectacular escape back to their native land.
Tue 30.05.2017 | 08:40Annabell's Spectacularities (2014)
Section: Days of Swedish Cinema
Directed by: Elisabet Gustafsson
Sweden, 2014, 75 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
A playful musical adventure about little Annabell Olsson, who is older than 7 but younger than 11. She has three little triplet siblings, who mostly just cause trouble, and a grandmother, who is the source of more adventure than Annabell realizes. There is a book at her grandmother’s country house that contains an unfinished story – a story about a wizard who turned himself into a glass of lemonade and then drank himself up. For over 70 years, Grandma has been thinking about how that could have happened and how the wizard might be turned back into himself. Now it’s up to Annabell to try and help her grandmother help the wizard, and thus bring the story to an end.
Tue 30.05.2017 | 10:20Goodbye Berlin (2016)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Fatih Akin
Germany, 2016, 93 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 2
Score:
Fourteen is not easy under normal circumstances, and Maik’s are anything but. His dysfunctional family life, plus conspicuous unpopularity with classmates, means being stuck with the (ostracized) new kid is a curse. Almost as bad as not being invited to Tatjana’s birthday party – she’s the hottest girl in class. Summer vacation? His wealthy errant parents have their own plans. No big deal. Until ‘Tschick’ shows up, admiring everything about Maik’s “kick-ass” life. Somehow, Tschick convinces him to drop-by Tatjana’s party; their exit makes a bit impression and Maik realizes Tschick’s demeanor is his strength. The boys then embark on a road trip. Maik’s rewards are another new friend (Müller), and the best summer ever. Its repercussions are life altering and, who wants to wait fifty years?
Tue 30.05.2017 | 10:30Mountain Miracle - An Unexpected Friendship (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children
Directed by: Tobias Wiemann
Germany, Italy, 2017, 97 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 1
Score:
Amelie (13) thinks of herself as a tough big-city brat and she probably is indeed the most stubborn girl in all of Berlin. Amelie doesn’t let anyone tell her what to do, least of all her parents, who ship her off to a special clinic in the mountains after another asthma attack. Exactly what Amelie definitely doesn’t want. But instead of getting help at the clinic, she runs off and flees to a place where certainly no one would expect to find her: the top of a mountain. When the clinic and her parents realize she ran away, a big search for her is underway. Focused on trying to find a hiding place in the mountains, Amelie meets a quirky boy named Bart. When Bart saves her life, Amelie realizes that Bart is actually a lot cooler than she first thought. Learning of Amelie’s illness, Bart tells her about an old tradition happening that time of year: the Alp Mountain Fires. These Alp Mountain Fires are miracles, which allegedly help cure the sick: humans and animals. Now on a mission to get to the fires in time, the kids take off on an adventurous journey of hope and true friendship.
Tue 30.05.2017 | 10:40Up in the Sky (2016)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children
Directed by: Petter Lennstrand
Sweden, 2016, 82 min
Projection place: Mala scena
Score:
Pottan is supposed to be spending her holidays at a pony farm, but her parents, who are always busy, end up leaving their eight-year-old daughter at a recycling yard by mistake. After a short discussion, the strange residents of the yard decide to take in the girl and she unexpectedly becomes part of a secret space mission. They are all sure that up there they will find fabulous treasures and the fulfillment of their dreams. Petter Lennstrand's life-sized puppets are already well known to Swedish TV viewers. In his debut feature film, his cheeky, unconventional characters tell a tale of friendship and the meaning of seemingly unimportant things.
Tue 30.05.2017 | 10:40Heartstrings (2016)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children
Directed by: Michel Boujenah
France, 2016, 89 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
A talented cellist and top student, 12-year-old Marie has a secret that she hasn’t shared with anyone at school: she has a degenerative eye disease. Her parents believe she should move to a leading medical facility for treatment, but Marie wants to finish the school year and audition for a prestigious music academy. Meanwhile, Marie offers to tutor her classmate Victor, who is having difficulties with his school work — and also harbours a secret crush on Marie. The two develop a strong friendship, and Marie eventually confides in Victor about her eyesight. Together, they hatch a plan: he will help cover up her deteriorating vision in class so she can finish the school year and perform her audition.
Tue 30.05.2017 | 10:40Heidi (2015)
Section: Welcome to Switzerland
Directed by: Alain Gsponer
Switzerland, Germany, 2015, 105 min
Projection place: Aula
Score:
Heidi is an orphaned girl who spends the happiest days of childhood together with her friend Peter while watching a herd of goats, playing together and enjoying the freedom of the Swiss Alps, where she lives in a simple cabin with her grandfather. This all ends when Heidi is taken by her Aunt Dee to Frankfurt, Germany, where she's to provide company for a sick girl named Klara, who's from a wealthy family. The girls quickly become friends, but Heidi's longing for her grandfather, Peter and the mountains is too great...
Tue 30.05.2017 | 10:50Immediate Boarding (2003)
Section: Days of Swedish Cinema
Directed by: Ella Lemhagen
Sweden, 2003, 89 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
One day Julia and Martin accidentally meet at the Stockholm airport. They are indistinguishable; it's like looking into a mirror. Both are eleven and are sick of having to visit one of their divorced parents, so they decide to play an old well-known trick on their parents and swap places. Their new identities, of course, immediately plunge them into a series of comic situations. It also allows them to look a bit differently at their own real lives and problems.
Tue 30.05.2017 | 14:00Enough! (2016)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Tessa Schram
Netherlands, 2016, 104 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
What if your best friends are hanging out with the wrong friends? Sander has known Chris and Maarten his whole life, but when they go to different schools, the tough Emiel joins the group. Sander tries to like him, but that’s difficult because Emiel has a violent nature. Sander’s love life also has its problems. He likes his classmate Indra, but he thinks she has a boyfriend. At the same time, she thinks he’s already taken. When an afternoon with his friends gets out of control and a boy gets hurt, they try to put the blame on Sander. Can he withstand the pressure of his friends or will he, just like in the past, never betray his friends? How can he prove his innocence before he loses all his friends?
Tue 30.05.2017 | 17:00Little Harbour (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children
Directed by: Iveta Grófová
Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, 2017, 85 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 1
Score:
A story inspired by true events about two children whose innocent play will change their lives forever. For Lucia, Jarka is nothing more than a best friend. Ten-year-old Jarka doesn’t see it that way though. She would much rather have her mom try to be a mother instead. Jarka dreams of having a real family and a house by the sea. Left on her own, she stumbles upon twin infants abandoned at the train station and decides to take them in. Her grandmother’s enchanted garden becomes a safe haven where she can take on the role of a parent together with her neighbour Kristian, who himself suffers from overprotective parents. In an impressive manner, the two prove how loving true affection and an awareness of responsibility can look when individuals hold tight to their dreams without disappointing those closest to them.
Tue 30.05.2017 | 17:10The Polar Boy (2016)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Anu Aun
Estonia, 2016, 97 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 2
Score:
Mattias has a dream of becoming a photography student at the Berlin Arts Academy. His dream is constantly put to the test when he falls in love with the beautiful free spirit Hanna. Trying to win her heart, he feels the need to prove to Hanna that he can be just as adventurous and unpredictable as she is. Breaking the law together with Hanna, Mattias risks everything dear to him, not knowing yet that Hanna’s bold acts are only the symptoms of bipolar disorder. In a moment of jealousy, Mattias accidentally commits a crime that could put him behind bars for years. In order to save himself Mattias decides to get himself declared irresponsible by faking the illness his girlfriend really has – bipolarity.
Tue 30.05.2017 | 17:20Heartstone (2016)
Section: International Competition of European First Films
Directed by: Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson
Iceland, 2016, 129 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
In his directorial debut, director and screenwriter Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson offers us a view into the lives of two teenage boys in a remote fishing village in Iceland. Thor and Christian truly experience a turbulent summer. As one tries to win a girl's heart, the other discovers till now unfamiliar emotions towards his best friend. As Iceland's harsh nature takes back its right with the ending summer, it is high time to leave the playground and face adulthood. The sensitive and intimate story is like a mosaic composed of many of life's important themes: the relationship between parents and children, life in a remote village, first love, awakening of puberty and sexuality, and friendship.
Tue 30.05.2017 | 17:30Bad Influence (2016)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Claudia Huaiquimilla
Chile, 2016, 89 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
Arrested after a violent gas station robbery, troubled Santiago youth Tano is remanded to the custody of his father Javier, an auto mechanic living in the small mountain community of Wallmapu. Soon the wayward teen befriends shy, awkward Cheo, whose indigenous Mapuche community fights against the displacement and destruction wrought by a massive local pulp mill. The bond between the two boys quickly deepens against the pressures of schoolyard cruelty and the troubled home lives of each, forcing a reckoning in both boys with themselves and the world around them.
Tue 30.05.2017 | 21:30The Transfiguration (2016)
Section: Night Horizons
Directed by: Michael O'Shea
U.S.A., 2016, 97 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 2
Score:
Even in populous New York City it is easy to become lonely. Fourteen-year-old Milo suffers from bullying and solitude but has a secret he escapes to: an urge to drink human blood. Living only with his older brother Lewis, Milo spends his days alone in his room making notes about murder, trawling the streets at night in search of victims. When an older girl Sophie moves into the same building, Milo is taken aback by his unprecedented feelings.
Wed 31.05.2017 | 08:10Owls & Mice (2016)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Simone van Dusseldorp
Netherlands, 2016, 80 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 1
Score:
Meral (8) just moved into a new town. She tries to make friends at her new school before their autumn school camp, but this is harder than expected. At home she befriends a little mouse that lives in her new room, which she calls Peepeep. Afraid that her parents will kill Peepeep while she is away, she secretly takes him with her. Thanks to the mouse, Meral makes some unexpected new friends. When an owl catches the little mouse, Meral blames her new friends. It is not until they set out into the wild to retrieve the owl pellet with Peepeep’s bones that Meral finally understands what friendship is all about.
Wed 31.05.2017 | 08:15Mountain Miracle - An Unexpected Friendship (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children
Directed by: Tobias Wiemann
Germany, Italy, 2017, 97 min
Projection place: Aula
Score:
Amelie (13) thinks of herself as a tough big-city brat and she probably is indeed the most stubborn girl in all of Berlin. Amelie doesn’t let anyone tell her what to do, least of all her parents, who ship her off to a special clinic in the mountains after another asthma attack. Exactly what Amelie definitely doesn’t want. But instead of getting help at the clinic, she runs off and flees to a place where certainly no one would expect to find her: the top of a mountain. When the clinic and her parents realize she ran away, a big search for her is underway. Focused on trying to find a hiding place in the mountains, Amelie meets a quirky boy named Bart. When Bart saves her life, Amelie realizes that Bart is actually a lot cooler than she first thought. Learning of Amelie’s illness, Bart tells her about an old tradition happening that time of year: the Alp Mountain Fires. These Alp Mountain Fires are miracles, which allegedly help cure the sick: humans and animals. Now on a mission to get to the fires in time, the kids take off on an adventurous journey of hope and true friendship.
Wed 31.05.2017 | 08:20Heidi (2015)
Section: Welcome to Switzerland
Directed by: Alain Gsponer
Switzerland, Germany, 2015, 105 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 2
Score:
Heidi is an orphaned girl who spends the happiest days of childhood together with her friend Peter while watching a herd of goats, playing together and enjoying the freedom of the Swiss Alps, where she lives in a simple cabin with her grandfather. This all ends when Heidi is taken by her Aunt Dee to Frankfurt, Germany, where she's to provide company for a sick girl named Klara, who's from a wealthy family. The girls quickly become friends, but Heidi's longing for her grandfather, Peter and the mountains is too great...
Wed 31.05.2017 | 09:00Tongue Cutters (2017)
Section: Documentary Films
Directed by: Solveig Melkeraaen
Norway, 2017, 69 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
Cod tongue is a delicacy in Norway, and the job of cutting the cod’s tongue is traditionally reserved for children. In this charming and whimsical coming-of-age story, 9-year-old Ylva dreams of following in her family’s footsteps and earning money by working a season in the fisheries of northern Norway. Leaving her big city Oslo life behind, she arrives in a small fishing village and meets 10-year-old Tobias, a highly skilled and ambitious tongue cutter who takes her under his wing and shows her the art. With slickers on and knives sharpened the joyful duo dive into their work. Over time a beautiful friendship is formed while knee-deep in fish heads.
Wed 31.05.2017 | 10:30Cloudboy (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children
Directed by: Meikeminne Clinckspoor
Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, 2017, 78 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 1
Score:
Twelve-year-old city boy Niilas has been living with his father for as long as he can remember and barely knows his Swedish mother. This summer, Niilas has to travel to Lapland – much against his will – where his mother and her new family live amongst the Sami, an indigenous reindeer-herding people. Despite a warm welcome, Niilas retreats inward. The only one who can get through to him is his half-sister Sunnà. The reindeer migration is fully underway and Niilas has to lend a helping hand. When a reindeer goes missing, Niilas joins in the search, and an impressive moose keeps crossing his path at the most unexpected moments. Gradually he discovers his roots, which prove to be stronger than he ever could have imagined. Against all odds, Niilas experiences the most adventurous summer of his life.