Binti (2018)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Frederike Migom
Belgium, Netherlands, 2018, 90 min
Projection place: Congress Centre
Score:
Twelve-year-old Binti dreams of becoming a famous vlogger like her idol Tatyana. But when the police raid her home and try to deport her and her dad, they are forced to flee. Binti meets Elias and the two become friends. While Binti helps Elias to vlog about his 'save-the-okapi-club', she hatches the perfect plan: her dad has to marry Elias´s mom, so they can stay in Belgium.
Douch (2018)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children, Festival Gala
Directed by: Amir Mashhadi Abbas
Iran, 2018, 78 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
Ten-year-old Gholamreza, who lives in a village in northern Iran, needs a bicycle to win a bicycle race and pay off his father´s debt. To get money for the new bicycle, he notices a prize for teaching an illiterate person how to read and write, but there aren´t any illiterate people in the village except a 90-year-old bad tempered woman who does not want to learn anything.
Whale Rider (2002)
Section: Discover & Explore: People
Directed by: Niki Caro
Germany, New Zealand, 2002, 105 min
Projection place: Congress Centre
Score:
In a small New Zealand coastal village, Maori claim descent from Paikea, the Whale Rider. In every generation, a male heir has succeeded to the chiefly title. The time is now. When twins are born, and the boy twin dies, Koro, the chief, is unable to accept his grand-daughter, Pai, as a future leader. A few years later, Koro is convinced that the tribe's misfortunes began at Pai's birth and calls for his people to bring their sons to him, in the hope that the new leader is among them. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must stand up to him and tradition.
Rocca Changes the World (2019)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children
Directed by: Katja Benrath
Germany, 2019, 97 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 2
Score:
Brave, funny, and one of a kind: that´s Rocca. Rocca is eleven years old and lives a rather unique life. While her dad is watching over her as an astronaut from outer space, Rocca lives alone with her squirrel and is attending a normal school for the first time in her life. At school her carefree and non-conformist way of life instantly stands out. She fearlessly confronts the class bullies, because first and foremost Rocca stands up for justice. That´s why she makes friends with the homeless Caspar and tries to help him. All the while she is also attempting to win over her grandmother´s heart. With never-ending optimism, Rocca proves - together with her new friends - that even a child has the power to change the world.
The Lonely Wolf (1972)
Section: Discover & Explore: Balkan
Directed by: Obrad Gluščević
Yugoslavia, 1972, 90 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
A boy finds a large wolf-like dog in the mountains and they befriend each other. The local peasants think that this may be the wolf responsible for the sheep pestilence. They decide to kill the animal, but the boy is worried about it and he secretly provides the dog with food.
Princess Emmy (2018)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Piet De Rycker
Germany, Belgium, United Kingdom, 2018, 77 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
Princess Emmy is a young girl with a secret gift - she can speak to horses. Up until now, life for Emmy has been wonderful: exploring and hanging out with her best friends, a stable full of amazing horses, spending time with her family at the castle, and not having a care in the world. That is until her jealous, scheming cousin Gizana appears; challenging her at every turn, threatening Emmy´s chances of becoming an officially inaugurated princess and generally making her life hell.
Chippa (2019)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children, Festival Gala
Directed by: Syed Safdar Rahman
India, 2019, 71 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
When Chippa is handed a letter addressed to him from a father he does not remember, the little boy decides to leave his pavement abode and find out more. Unfortunately, the letter is written in Urdu so he need someone to read it for him. A fight with his grand aunt (with whom he lives) confirms his initial intention. At the stroke of midnight, on his tenth birthday, Chippa grabs a bag full of knick-knacks and heads out to discover the city and its street nightlife, while trying to discover connections to his father. ... A coming of age tale told through a single night in the winters of Kolkota.
The Way I Spent the End of the World (2006)
Section: Discover & Explore: Balkan
Directed by: Cãtãlin Mitulescu
Romania, France, 2006, 106 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
It is 1989 in Bucharest - the last year of Ceausescu's dictatorship. Eva lives with her parents and her 7-year-old brother, Lalalilu. One day at school, Eva and her boyfriend accidentally break a bust of Ceausescu. They are forced to confess their crime before a disciplinary committee and Eva is expelled from school and transferred to a reformatory establishment. There she meets Andrei and decides to escape Romania with him. Lalalilu is convinced that Ceausescu is the main reason for Eva's decision to leave, so he devises a plan to kill the dictator.
Jellyfish (2018)
Section: Competition of European First Feature Films
Directed by: James Gardner
United Kingdom, 2018, 101 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
Between being bullied at school, put upon by her overbearing boss at the local arcade and having to look after her younger brother, sister, and manic-depressive mother, life isn´t easy for Sarah Taylor. However, when Sarah´s drama teacher channels her ferocious and volatile energies in to a stand-up comedy routine for the graduation showcase, Sarah discovers that she may have a hidden talent. As her love for comedy grows and the showcase draws nearer, the delicate balance in her life becomes increasingly difficult to maintain. Little by little the walls start to close in, ultimately forcing her to choose between her responsibilities as a caregiver and her newfound passion for comedy.
Storm Boy (2018)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children, Festival Gala
Directed by: Shawn Seet
Australia, 2018, 99 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 1
Score:
Storm Boy is a moving story about unusual friendships and unconditional love. Mike Kingley tells his granddaughter a story from his childhood, which he spent with his father on a deserted Australian coast after his mother's death. His carefree life was changed forever when he found a nest of newly hatched pelicans whose mother was shot by hunters. With the help of his father and a local Australian, Bill, they managed to raise three adult pelicans. An exceptionally deep bond of friendship formed between Mike and one of the birds, Mr. Percival. But this idyllic time of fun was coming to an end.
Sune vs Sune (2018)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Jon Holmberg
Sweden, 2018, 89 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 2
Score:
On his first day as a fourth-grader, Sune is welcomed by an unwanted surprise. A new boy is in his seat, and he´s everything Sune wants to be. Not only that, but his name is also Sune - it´s the worst possible start to the fourth grade. At the same, Håkan notices that his big brother is about to enter the boring adult world, their dad Rudolf has a midlife crisis and wants to quit his job to pursue a career in music and their mum Karin glares jealously at the new Sune´s perfect mum and her even more perfect car. Welcome to the Andersson family!
Knockout (2018)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Gholamreza Ramezani
Iran, 2018, 96 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
Bijan is surprized how Mohammad and Amir become friends in only one day. He´s a bully boy at school and is supposed to compete with Amir as a representative from his Taekwondo club. Mohammad finds out that Amir had a very serious disease and that he´ll die if he is defeated by Bijan! So he goes to Bijan and asks him to lose against Amir.
Whale Rider (2002)
Section: Discover & Explore: People
Directed by: Niki Caro
Germany, New Zealand, 2002, 105 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
In a small New Zealand coastal village, Maori claim descent from Paikea, the Whale Rider. In every generation, a male heir has succeeded to the chiefly title. The time is now. When twins are born, and the boy twin dies, Koro, the chief, is unable to accept his grand-daughter, Pai, as a future leader. A few years later, Koro is convinced that the tribe's misfortunes began at Pai's birth and calls for his people to bring their sons to him, in the hope that the new leader is among them. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must stand up to him and tradition.
Fight Girl (2018)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Johan Timmers
Netherlands, Belgium, 2018, 84 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
When her parents end up in an acrimonious divorce, the headstrong, highly volatile Bo (12) moves to an Amsterdam suburb with her mother and brother. Once there, her neighbour, Joy, introduces her to the kickboxing club. She demonstrates natural talent and is very soon taking part in the Dutch championships, but her parents´ divorce is distracting Bo and threatens to ruin the contest. Bo must learn restraint and accept that she can´t control everything.
Chippa (2019)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Children, Festival Gala
Directed by: Syed Safdar Rahman
India, 2019, 71 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
When Chippa is handed a letter addressed to him from a father he does not remember, the little boy decides to leave his pavement abode and find out more. Unfortunately, the letter is written in Urdu so he need someone to read it for him. A fight with his grand aunt (with whom he lives) confirms his initial intention. At the stroke of midnight, on his tenth birthday, Chippa grabs a bag full of knick-knacks and heads out to discover the city and its street nightlife, while trying to discover connections to his father. ... A coming of age tale told through a single night in the winters of Kolkota.
Giant Little Ones (2018)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Keith Behrman
Canada, 2018, 94 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
A heartfelt and intimate coming-of-age story about friendship, self-discovery and the power of love without labels. Adolescents face enormous pressure to make life-defining decisions every day and they want to lock in their identities sooner than later. All of this pressure is exacerbated by physical and social changes. Franky is under more pressure than most. His life was altered when his father left his mother for a man. Franky is left confused and angry toward his father for breaking up the family. Things are further confused for Franky when his wild birthday party ends in a sexual encounter no one could have imagined, including his best friend and girlfriend. As Franky's world crumbles, he and his friends are forced to decide what kind of people they want to be.
Phantom Owl Forest (2018)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Anu Aun
Estonia, 2018, 90 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
For 10-year-old Eia, her Christmas holiday is taking an unexpected turn after being brought to a remote farm in the middle of nowhere, so she assumes. There she will discover the beauty of nature and wildlife, help rescue a primeval forest inhabited by mysterious owls, and unwrap her family´s well-kept secret.
Jellyfish (2018)
Section: Competition of European First Feature Films
Directed by: James Gardner
United Kingdom, 2018, 101 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
Between being bullied at school, put upon by her overbearing boss at the local arcade and having to look after her younger brother, sister, and manic-depressive mother, life isn´t easy for Sarah Taylor. However, when Sarah´s drama teacher channels her ferocious and volatile energies in to a stand-up comedy routine for the graduation showcase, Sarah discovers that she may have a hidden talent. As her love for comedy grows and the showcase draws nearer, the delicate balance in her life becomes increasingly difficult to maintain. Little by little the walls start to close in, ultimately forcing her to choose between her responsibilities as a caregiver and her newfound passion for comedy.
Phantom Owl Forest (2018)
Section: Panorama
Directed by: Anu Aun
Estonia, 2018, 90 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 1
Score:
For 10-year-old Eia, her Christmas holiday is taking an unexpected turn after being brought to a remote farm in the middle of nowhere, so she assumes. There she will discover the beauty of nature and wildlife, help rescue a primeval forest inhabited by mysterious owls, and unwrap her family´s well-kept secret.
Fight Girl (2018)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films for Youth
Directed by: Johan Timmers
Netherlands, Belgium, 2018, 84 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 2
Score:
When her parents end up in an acrimonious divorce, the headstrong, highly volatile Bo (12) moves to an Amsterdam suburb with her mother and brother. Once there, her neighbour, Joy, introduces her to the kickboxing club. She demonstrates natural talent and is very soon taking part in the Dutch championships, but her parents´ divorce is distracting Bo and threatens to ruin the contest. Bo must learn restraint and accept that she can´t control everything.