Supa Modo (2018)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children
Directed by: Likarion Wainaina
Kenya, Germany, 2018, 74 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
An honest and inspiring story about the strength of young people in the face of adversity. Obsessed with Jackie Chan and action films, nine-year-old Jo dreams of being a superhero, but time is not on her side. When the doctors reveal that she is terminally ill, Jo leaves the hospital and returns home to be with her mom and sister. While her mom insists that she stay inside and rest, her sister has different plans. With the entire village's support, they decide to make dreams a reality and turn Jo into the superhero they know she is.
I Kill Giants (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Anders Walter
United States of America, United Kingdom, 2017, 106 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
The story of a teenager who copes with school and family life by escaping into a fantasy world of magic and monsters. Life is not easy for our young heroine, Barbara Thorson. Defiant, precocious, outspoken, and a loner, Barbara relates more to the make-believe world of Dungeons & Dragons. At home, she makes life difficult for her older sister, Karen, who is responsible for taking care of her and her brother. At school, psychologist Mrs. Mollé takes an interest in Barbara's increasingly worrisome behaviour. As she deals with loss and bullying, Barbara's imagined life begins spilling into her real one and she becomes obsessed with what she sees as her quest: killing giants. It's only when she's forced to face the truth and overcome her fears that Barbara is able to confront her demons. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura.
I Kill Giants (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Anders Walter
United States of America, United Kingdom, 2017, 106 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
The story of a teenager who copes with school and family life by escaping into a fantasy world of magic and monsters. Life is not easy for our young heroine, Barbara Thorson. Defiant, precocious, outspoken, and a loner, Barbara relates more to the make-believe world of Dungeons & Dragons. At home, she makes life difficult for her older sister, Karen, who is responsible for taking care of her and her brother. At school, psychologist Mrs. Mollé takes an interest in Barbara's increasingly worrisome behaviour. As she deals with loss and bullying, Barbara's imagined life begins spilling into her real one and she becomes obsessed with what she sees as her quest: killing giants. It's only when she's forced to face the truth and overcome her fears that Barbara is able to confront her demons. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura.
Nothing Like Before (2017)
Section: Czech Films and TV Production
Directed by: Lukáš Kokeš, Klára Tasovská
Czech Republic, 2017, 92 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
Disco clubs, poorly paid jobs, unexcused absences and unintended pregnancies... They are 19 and live ordinary teenage lives in a Czech border town where they go to the same school. Teo, Renata, Annie and Nikola from mostly broken families and try to find a place in society. Anxiety slowly creeps into their carefree lives due to the approach of adulthood. Separately, they face an important life challenge, after which nothing will be as before. And it's not just about graduation. Which of them can handle new responsibilities; who will really make it?
Supa Modo (2018)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children
Directed by: Likarion Wainaina
Kenya, Germany, 2018, 74 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
An honest and inspiring story about the strength of young people in the face of adversity. Obsessed with Jackie Chan and action films, nine-year-old Jo dreams of being a superhero, but time is not on her side. When the doctors reveal that she is terminally ill, Jo leaves the hospital and returns home to be with her mom and sister. While her mom insists that she stay inside and rest, her sister has different plans. With the entire village's support, they decide to make dreams a reality and turn Jo into the superhero they know she is.
Seventeen (2017)
Section: Austrian Trip
Directed by: Monja Art
Austria, 2017, 105 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
As school is drawing to a close and the summer holidays approach, boarding school pupil Paula is secretly in love with her friend Charlotte. But Charlotte’s going out with Michael. Lovelorn, Paula decides to try and take her mind of things by getting involved with schoolmate Tim, whose feelings for her are at least genuine. Paula has no idea how often Charlotte thinks of her. And then there’s Lilli, who is just dying for someone to fancy her and tries to play the wild seductress. Paula must decide if she wants to follow her own feelings or yield to other people’s.
Saturday Church (2017)
Section: American Teen
Directed by: Damon Cardasis
United States of America, 2017, 83 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
The Bronx, New York City. 14-year-old Ulysses has just lost his father. His mother Amara is left to raise her two young children with only help of their strict and conservative aunt Rose. Ulysses is now expected to be the man of the house, but the shy and effeminate Ulysses has another challenge to confront: he is not comfortable in his own skin. Ulysses’ life changes when he comes into contact with a lively transgender youth community where people facing the same challenges stand by each other with the help of a Saturday Church program.
Ballad from Tibet (2017)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Wei Zhang
China, 2017, 84 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
A group of Tibetan kids embark on an odyssey, each for a different reason. Thupten, nearly blind, wants to see the world before his life goes completely dark. Droma, a beautiful weaving girl, wants to prove to her granny that she is more than a weaver by getting into a TV show. Sonam, a blind masseur, is fed up with his boring job. Kalsang, the youngest of them, goes because it sounds terribly fun. With the help of a nomad family, a fleet of bikers, and a TV producer, the band marches to the metropolis of Shenzhen. Their goal is to sing for everyone on TV…
Center of My World (2016)
Section: Austrian Trip
Directed by: Jakob M. Erwa
Germany, Austria, 2016, 115 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
After a summer away at camp, Phil returns home to find that his mother and twin sister aren’t speaking to one another. Avoiding family conflict, Phil escapes to hang out with his best friend, Kat, eating ice cream and playing dress-up. As the school year begins, a new student arrives – the handsome and mysterious Nicholas. Smitten, Phil watches him as he runs around the track after school, and is thrilled when Nicholas returns his feelings. But he’s going to first have to deal with the problems of his past in order to deal with the issues of his present.
Screwed (2018)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Nils-Erik Ekblom
Finland, 2018, 94 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
17-year-old Miku is “just some dude” devoid of personality, at least according to his brother. After a party-turned-rager that nearly destroys his home, Miku is doomed to spend the rest of the summer at their family cottage, where both his parents avoid dealing with their own relationship crisis. But the calm of the Finnish countryside takes an unexpected turn when Miku meets Elias. The boys have nothing in common except for their age and dysfunctional families. But something is pulling them together. Miku finds himself in the eye of the storm as Elias forces him to deal with his own sexuality, all the while the parents marriage heads towards destruction. Elias has his own baggage to deal with and finds it easier to just discard Miku from his life instead of starting another broken romance. Miku has had enough. For once, it’s time for him to take charge of his own life.
Ballad from Tibet (2017)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Wei Zhang
China, 2017, 84 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 1
Score:
A group of Tibetan kids embark on an odyssey, each for a different reason. Thupten, nearly blind, wants to see the world before his life goes completely dark. Droma, a beautiful weaving girl, wants to prove to her granny that she is more than a weaver by getting into a TV show. Sonam, a blind masseur, is fed up with his boring job. Kalsang, the youngest of them, goes because it sounds terribly fun. With the help of a nomad family, a fleet of bikers, and a TV producer, the band marches to the metropolis of Shenzhen. Their goal is to sing for everyone on TV…
Saturday Church (2017)
Section: American Teen
Directed by: Damon Cardasis
United States of America, 2017, 83 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
The Bronx, New York City. 14-year-old Ulysses has just lost his father. His mother Amara is left to raise her two young children with only help of their strict and conservative aunt Rose. Ulysses is now expected to be the man of the house, but the shy and effeminate Ulysses has another challenge to confront: he is not comfortable in his own skin. Ulysses’ life changes when he comes into contact with a lively transgender youth community where people facing the same challenges stand by each other with the help of a Saturday Church program.