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.
Cross My Heart (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Luc Picard
Canada, 2017, 102 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
Montreal, 1970. The radical left-wing nationalist group ‘Front de libération du Québec’ has forced the province into a state of emergency, and meanwhile twelve-year-old Manon looks on helplessly as her family falls apart. Her father is ill and because her mother is unable to cope, she is forced to give up her children to separate foster families. However, Manon has sworn to her younger brother Mimi that she will never leave him alone, so she hatches a daring plan. She forms a revolutionary group with her cousins and kidnaps an unsuspecting grandma. They demand home-made cakes, bedtime stories and, above all, that they are allowed to live the way they want to. In a remote cabin, they spend their days enjoying their new-found freedom – far from the ignorance of the grown-up world.
Walking Out (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Alex & Andrew Smith
United States of America, 2017, 96 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
Many of us were told in school that there were seven basic types of stories, and that two of them were "man vs. nature" and "man vs. himself." Of course, all good stories ultimately fit into that second category, even if the other ones fit, too. "Walking Out," a wilderness adventure by the sibling filmmaking team of Alex and Andrew Smith, is a fine illustration of this idea. It's about a soft, suburbanized 14-year old named David who goes deep into the Montana mountains to visit his strong, silent outdoorsman father, Cal, then accompanies him on a moose-hunting trip. The expedition goes horribly awry, forcing the boy to discover an inner, primal strength he never imagined he possessed.
Home Team (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Carlos Morelli
Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, 2017, 102 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 2
Score:
This story follows an adolescent soccer prodigy poised for big-league success—so long as his hubris doesn’t get in the way. Everyone knows Tito is a whiz on the field, but his father insists he place equal emphasis on his studies. That balance topples, however, once an agent pegs Tito as a major talent and convinces the family to uproot from their rural Nogales home and relocate to Montevideo. Will Tito fulfill his dream? Or will his focus on soccer, to the detriment of everything else, sabotage his goals? Based on the Latin American best-seller by former soccer player Daniel Baldi.
Rock My Heart (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Hanno Olderdissen
Germany, 2017, 110 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
At 17, Jana has already lived half her life, at least according to the statistics about her congenital heart disease. Every beat of her heart could be her last.But Jana doesn´t think this is quite fair. Much to her Parents distress, Jana jumps head over heels into every adventure she can think of. When Jana gets to know the thoroughbred stallion ‘Rock My Heart’, her entire life changes. The two are soul mates, rebellious and untamed in equal measure, made for each other. Rock's trainer Paul, understanding the connection between girl and horse, persuades Jana to ride him for a big event. He has no clue, however, that Jana is fatally ill, and that the training is incredibly dangerous for her. But for the first time in her young life, Jana has something to look forward to and to fight something. But will she really manage to ride in the big event in spite of her condition…?
Forty Baldies (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Sadegh Sadegh Daghighi
Iran, 2017, 86 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
The story takes place in a small village at the foot of forested mountains in northern Iran, and follows the moving story of Asghar's family. He, his sister Roja, and grandmother take care of his sick father. He suffers from a disorder caused by gas during the Iraq war, and the siblings do everything to take care of him. The whole area suffers from a persistent rain that causes a flood and pulls down the bridge. The only route into town is closed and Asghar can't get a new oxygen tank. His grandmother tells of a legend that says if anyone finds forty bald men and hangs a list of their names on a tree, the rain will stop. The humorous search for bald guys is linked to the dramatic events of Asghar's life. This brave boy, as the temporary head of the family, must deal not only with a natural disaster, but also with problems with a classmate, an older sister's suitor, and a surprising family secret.
Barley Fields on the Other Side of the Mountain (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Tian Tsering
United Kingdom, 2017, 88 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 2
Score:
A story about the price of freedom and who pays for it told through the eyes of a teenage girl. Sixteen-year-old Pema lives in the remote mountains of Tibet. For generations, her family has farmed their barley fields in peace. But when Pema’s father is taken away by the authorities, her world is shattered. A Buddhist nun from the local nunnery walks into Pema’s life and invites her to join a group of locals escaping persecution by walking over the Himalayas into India. Pema is torn; can she leave her mother, grandmother and younger siblings at this time of crisis? Does she have the right, or the courage, to join her friend and seek a new life for herself? As Pema struggles with her dilemma, there is no news about her imprisoned father. The clock is ticking – for everyone.
Rock My Heart (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Hanno Olderdissen
Germany, 2017, 110 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 1
Score:
At 17, Jana has already lived half her life, at least according to the statistics about her congenital heart disease. Every beat of her heart could be her last.But Jana doesn´t think this is quite fair. Much to her Parents distress, Jana jumps head over heels into every adventure she can think of. When Jana gets to know the thoroughbred stallion ‘Rock My Heart’, her entire life changes. The two are soul mates, rebellious and untamed in equal measure, made for each other. Rock's trainer Paul, understanding the connection between girl and horse, persuades Jana to ride him for a big event. He has no clue, however, that Jana is fatally ill, and that the training is incredibly dangerous for her. But for the first time in her young life, Jana has something to look forward to and to fight something. But will she really manage to ride in the big event in spite of her condition…?
Backstage (2018)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Andrea Sedláčková
Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, 2018, 90 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 1
Score:
A dynamic lovestory full of dance and music. Mary and Buddy's lives revolve around their love – mainly their love for each other. They’re also bound by their love of dance. In their nowhere small town they put together a dance group. Street dance provides them with friendship, freedom and dreams – a dream of one day not only being loved, but also famous and rich. The door to that dream finally opens up to them; during a dance battle, an acclaimed producer offers to cast them for a big TV dance competition. But the backstage rules for a show like this tough. Each of their characters and their friendship is tested by fame – as is the love of the central couple. So far, it's been a compromise-free relationship, but new and unexpected people will affect their emotions.
Backstage (2018)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Andrea Sedláčková
Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, 2018, 90 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
A dynamic lovestory full of dance and music. Mary and Buddy's lives revolve around their love – mainly their love for each other. They’re also bound by their love of dance. In their nowhere small town they put together a dance group. Street dance provides them with friendship, freedom and dreams – a dream of one day not only being loved, but also famous and rich. The door to that dream finally opens up to them; during a dance battle, an acclaimed producer offers to cast them for a big TV dance competition. But the backstage rules for a show like this tough. Each of their characters and their friendship is tested by fame – as is the love of the central couple. So far, it's been a compromise-free relationship, but new and unexpected people will affect their emotions.
Walking Out (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Alex & Andrew Smith
United States of America, 2017, 96 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
Many of us were told in school that there were seven basic types of stories, and that two of them were "man vs. nature" and "man vs. himself." Of course, all good stories ultimately fit into that second category, even if the other ones fit, too. "Walking Out," a wilderness adventure by the sibling filmmaking team of Alex and Andrew Smith, is a fine illustration of this idea. It's about a soft, suburbanized 14-year old named David who goes deep into the Montana mountains to visit his strong, silent outdoorsman father, Cal, then accompanies him on a moose-hunting trip. The expedition goes horribly awry, forcing the boy to discover an inner, primal strength he never imagined he possessed.
Rock My Heart (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Hanno Olderdissen
Germany, 2017, 110 min
Projection place: Aula
Score:
At 17, Jana has already lived half her life, at least according to the statistics about her congenital heart disease. Every beat of her heart could be her last.But Jana doesn´t think this is quite fair. Much to her Parents distress, Jana jumps head over heels into every adventure she can think of. When Jana gets to know the thoroughbred stallion ‘Rock My Heart’, her entire life changes. The two are soul mates, rebellious and untamed in equal measure, made for each other. Rock's trainer Paul, understanding the connection between girl and horse, persuades Jana to ride him for a big event. He has no clue, however, that Jana is fatally ill, and that the training is incredibly dangerous for her. But for the first time in her young life, Jana has something to look forward to and to fight something. But will she really manage to ride in the big event in spite of her condition…?
Home Team (2017)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Carlos Morelli
Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, 2017, 102 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 2
Score:
This story follows an adolescent soccer prodigy poised for big-league success—so long as his hubris doesn’t get in the way. Everyone knows Tito is a whiz on the field, but his father insists he place equal emphasis on his studies. That balance topples, however, once an agent pegs Tito as a major talent and convinces the family to uproot from their rural Nogales home and relocate to Montevideo. Will Tito fulfill his dream? Or will his focus on soccer, to the detriment of everything else, sabotage his goals? Based on the Latin American best-seller by former soccer player Daniel Baldi.