Thu 01.06.2023 | 10:00Tony, Shelly and the Magic Light (2023)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films in the Children’s Category (up to 10 years of age)
Directed by: Filip Pošivač
Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Hungary, 2023, 80 min
Projection place: Congress Centre
Score:
InfoTonda is not an ordinary boy; he's been shining since birth. Ashamed of this, and because his parents do not let him go anywhere, he prefers to spend all his time in his room. When Slávka, a girl with glasses and a “magic” flashlight, moves into the building, he doesn't trust her at first. Eventually, it turns out that the two may understand each other and that they might also unravel the secrets of the old apartment building. Is there some kind of monster, or is it a ghost running through the corridors and terrifying everyone? Why can only the old janitor talk to it? The poetic, visually captivating film using stop animation shows that one can deal with otherness in any form and that tolerance and responsibility are cards that one can always play, especially at a time when the ideals of tolerance, justice, and compassion are in doubt. This film for the whole family is presented in its world premiere.
Thu 01.06.2023 | 15:30I Like Movies (2022)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films in the Youth Category (over 15 years of age)
Directed by: Chandler Levack
Canada, 2022, 100 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 2
Score:
The clear and distinct title of the film is the basic premise of the life of a teenager, Lawrence, who is obsessed with the world of film. His longtime and only friend Matt shares his passion for amateur filmmaking and other unusual hobbies. Lawrence's mother struggles to cope with the death of her husband and the difficult adolescent years of her son, whose dream is to get into NYU's New York Film School. Lawrence's selfishness, rage, and almost pathological desire cause fundamental cracks in his relationships. He sees the people around him only as pawns on his journey to become a world-class filmmaker. A great script full of references to film classics and outstanding acting make this indie film a favorite of film festivals. The script was based on the debuting director Chandler Levack's own experiences as a video store salesclerk and it has a cast of fresh young actors' faces.
Thu 01.06.2023 | 15:30Comedy Queen (2022)
Section: Top Teen Ten
Directed by: Sanna Lenken
Sweden, 2022, 94 min
Projection place: Zámek
Score:
The story of 13-year-old Sasha, who, despite her immense sorrow, refuses to mourn her dead mother. She secretly writes a list of everything she must do to survive: shave her hair, stop reading books, say no to the world's cutest puppy and, above all, become a stand-up comedian to make everyone laugh, especially her father, who secretly cries in the shower when he thinks no one can hear him.
Thu 01.06.2023 | 17:00Dear Zoe (2022)
Section: Beyond the Childhood Horizon
Directed by: Gren Wells
United States of America, 2022, 94 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
A powerful story of grief and resilience told from the point of view of a 16-year-old girl, Dear Zoe is a coming-of-age drama in which Tess enlists her biological father – a lovable slacker from the wrong side of the tracks – and the charming juvenile delinquent next door to help her come to grips with the death of her little sister.
Thu 01.06.2023 | 19:00Exodus (2022)
Section: Beyond the Childhood Horizon
Directed by: Abbe Hassan
Sweden, 2022, 102 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
We follow the journey of a young Syrian refugee, Amal (12). Fleeing to Romania to reunite with her family at a refugee camp there, she first must pass through Turkey. Smuggled to Istanbul in a crowded shipping container, she barely escapes when it’s raided by Turkish immigration authorities. With one of the smugglers, Sam (40), they embark on a perilous journey across Europe to try to get Amal back to her family.
Thu 01.06.2023 | 20:00You Can Live Forever (2022)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films in the Youth Category (over 15 years of age)
Directed by: Sarah Watts, Mark Slutsky
Canada, 2022, 96 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
After the sudden death of her father, Jaime is sent to live with relatives, members of a devout Jehovah's Witness congregation. The daughter of an apostate from the faith, she's at the mercy of the community if she again integrates herself among the believers. At a meeting, she meets the charming Marike, the daughter of the congregation's leader. At first glance, they make a connection, which they must hide from everyone. Despite all the do's and don'ts of their faith, their relationship focuses only on their mutual love, which becomes a source of tension and inevitable condemnation. This sensitive queer drama from the 1990s premiered at New York's Tribeca Film Festival and is a sought-after title by festival programmers. Audiences will be reminded of Danish director Niels Arden Oplev's magnificent drama Worlds Apart (2008), which also sets a story of forbidden love in a mysterious yet attractive religious setting.
Fri 02.06.2023 | 08:50Tony, Shelly and the Magic Light (2023)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films in the Children’s Category (up to 10 years of age)
Directed by: Filip Pošivač
Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Hungary, 2023, 80 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 4
Score:
Tonda is not an ordinary boy; he's been shining since birth. Ashamed of this, and because his parents do not let him go anywhere, he prefers to spend all his time in his room. When Slávka, a girl with glasses and a “magic” flashlight, moves into the building, he doesn't trust her at first. Eventually, it turns out that the two may understand each other and that they might also unravel the secrets of the old apartment building. Is there some kind of monster, or is it a ghost running through the corridors and terrifying everyone? Why can only the old janitor talk to it? The poetic, visually captivating film using stop animation shows that one can deal with otherness in any form and that tolerance and responsibility are cards that one can always play, especially at a time when the ideals of tolerance, justice, and compassion are in doubt. This film for the whole family is presented in its world premiere.
Fri 02.06.2023 | 15:00Sweet As (2022)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films in the Junior Category (over 11 years of age)
Directed by: Jub Clerc
Australia, 2022, 87 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
Aborigine teen Muura's life is like the landscape in which she lives with her alcoholic mother: lonely, boring and even pathetic. In her remote part of Australia, she has no friends and prefers to spend time away from home, which is beginning to lack any meaning. One day she runs out of patience and goes to her uncle. To keep his niece from getting lost in the welfare system, he signs Muuru up for a photography trip to the Australian outback with three other troubled teens. Their task is to find stories through the viewfinders of their small cameras. This fresh road movie tells the story of growing up and finding unexpected friendship, first love, new challenges, responsibility, and the truth about yourself. We sit next to Muura in the seat of a rundown bus and embark on a journey into the depths of the breathtaking Australian outback and the souls of broken young people who are taking a chance.
Fri 02.06.2023 | 17:30You Can Live Forever (2022)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films in the Youth Category (over 15 years of age)
Directed by: Sarah Watts, Mark Slutsky
Canada, 2022, 96 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
After the sudden death of her father, Jaime is sent to live with relatives, members of a devout Jehovah's Witness congregation. The daughter of an apostate from the faith, she's at the mercy of the community if she again integrates herself among the believers. At a meeting, she meets the charming Marike, the daughter of the congregation's leader. At first glance, they make a connection, which they must hide from everyone. Despite all the do's and don'ts of their faith, their relationship focuses only on their mutual love, which becomes a source of tension and inevitable condemnation. This sensitive queer drama from the 1990s premiered at New York's Tribeca Film Festival and is a sought-after title by festival programmers. Audiences will be reminded of Danish director Niels Arden Oplev's magnificent drama Worlds Apart (2008), which also sets a story of forbidden love in a mysterious yet attractive religious setting.
Fri 02.06.2023 | 19:30The Fence (2022)
Section: Beyond the Childhood Horizon
Directed by: William Stone
United Kingdom, 2022, 94 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
The story follows an 18-year-old working class lad who has his motorcycle stolen the day he buys it. He seeks the help of his scoundrel friends and notorious older brother to track it down before it's gone forever. There is a strong moral theme examining the culture of the period, peer pressure and difficult individual choices. But mostly it's a fun film with heart, that combines nostalgia, strong characters, comedy and a fast paced narrative. Not to mention a terrific soundtrack of ‘80s music!
Fri 02.06.2023 | 20:00The Kings of the World (2022)
Section: Festival Laurels from around the World
Directed by: Laura Mora
Colombia, Luxembourg, Mexico, France, Norway, 2022, 104 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
Rá, Culebro, Sere, Winny and Nano, five street kids from Medellin, five kings without a kingdom, with no law and no family, looking for The Promised Land. The five embark on a trip to claim a piece of land that Rá inherited after a long process of land restitution. A subversive tale about a savage and lovely clan that transits between reality and delirium. A journey to nowhere where anything can happen.
Sat 03.06.2023 | 13:30The Properties of Metals (2023)
Section: Beyond the Childhood Horizon
Directed by: Antonio Bigini
Italy, 2023, 93 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
1970’s Italy in a small village in the mountains. Pietro, is being raised by his widower father, a surly man with money problems. He begins to manifest mysterious gifts; he can bend metal simply by touching it. An American scientist starts studying him and this leads the child towards an invisible world where the unquestionable laws of physics collide with the deepest human desires.
Sat 03.06.2023 | 15:00Scrapper (2023)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films in the Junior Category (over 11 years of age)
Directed by: Charlotte Regan
United Kingdom, 2023, 83 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
When her mother dies, 12-year-old Georgie does everything she can to avoid going to an orphanage. She has a lot on her mind for her age. She must to both grow up quickly to be able to take care of herself, and use her child's ingenuity and innocence to deceive local authorities and others. She and her best friend Ali make money stealing bikes and she pretends to live with an “uncle”. But this fake family member is soon replaced by her real father, who’s been gone so long that she doesn't recognize him. Not happy with his intrusion, she tries to find out why her father has reentered her life. This great British dramedy combines elements of the social film genre, fresh formal flavors, memorable scenes (especially the interaction between Georgia and her father), funny lines and talking spiders. The film won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema section at this year's Sundance.
Sat 03.06.2023 | 18:30Ademoka´s Education (2022)
Section: Festival Laurels from around the World
Directed by: Adilkhan Yerzhanov
France, Kazakhstan, 2022, 90 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
This is the story of a teenage illegal migrant girl Ademoka who lives in Kazakhstan and is forced to be a beggar to survive. But at the same time, she’s bright and talented and dreams of studying all the time. Her illegal status and absence of citizenship is a serious obstacle for that. At some point, Ademoka gets a chance to receive an education and help comes from the unexpected side. The one least believable to be supportive, an alcoholic loser, Ahab, stretches out a helping hand…
Sun 04.06.2023 | 11:20Tony, Shelly and the Magic Light (2023)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films in the Children’s Category (up to 10 years of age)
Directed by: Filip Pošivač
Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Hungary, 2023, 80 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
Tonda is not an ordinary boy; he's been shining since birth. Ashamed of this, and because his parents do not let him go anywhere, he prefers to spend all his time in his room. When Slávka, a girl with glasses and a “magic” flashlight, moves into the building, he doesn't trust her at first. Eventually, it turns out that the two may understand each other and that they might also unravel the secrets of the old apartment building. Is there some kind of monster, or is it a ghost running through the corridors and terrifying everyone? Why can only the old janitor talk to it? The poetic, visually captivating film using stop animation shows that one can deal with otherness in any form and that tolerance and responsibility are cards that one can always play, especially at a time when the ideals of tolerance, justice, and compassion are in doubt. This film for the whole family is presented in its world premiere.
Sun 04.06.2023 | 16:00Neneh Superstar (2023)
Section: Beyond the Childhood Horizon
Directed by: Ramzi Ben Sliman
France, 2023, 95 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 3
Score:
Born to dance, Neneh is a 12-year-old black girl who dreams of entering the Paris Opera Ballet School. Despite her enthusiasm, she has to redouble her efforts to escape from her circumstances and be accepted by the school’s director, Marianne Belage, the guarantor of traditions and the bearer of a secret that links her to the little ballerina.
Sun 04.06.2023 | 17:30Big Boys (2022)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films in the Youth Category (over 15 years of age)
Directed by: Corey Sherman
United States of America, 2022, 90 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
Fourteen-year-old Jamie prepares for a trip with his older brother Luke and his favorite cousin Allie. But he’s surprised to learn of the unexpected presence of Allie's boyfriend Dan. Despite his initial fears, Dan's sense of humor, shared interests, and self-confidence make him an object of interest. Moreover, Dan supports Jamie against Luke, who teases his brother for lack of virility and experience in his sex life. That makes his fascination even stronger, and Jamie does all he can to get closer to Dan, while also hiding his true feelings. The director decided to bring his own queer coming-of-age story to the screen, with an emphasis on today's notion of masculinity and positive acceptance of one's physical and mental identity. This small film with a big heart stands out for its excellent script and the performance of the main actor Isaac Krasner. It had its world premiere at the BFI Flare in London.
Sun 04.06.2023 | 19:30Mountain Onion (2022)
Section: Festival Laurels from around the World
Directed by: Eldar Shibanov
Kazakhstan, 2022, 90 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 5
Score:
Eleven-year-old Jabai sells mountain onions alongside the highway and one day he catches his idol trucker having sex with his mom. Jabai and his sister, Saniya, embark on a journey from their small village in Kazakhstan to China, to obtain the only thing that will save their father and help him become a strong man, the ‘Golden Viagra’.
Sun 04.06.2023 | 20:00Delegation (2023)
Section: International Competition of Feature Films in the Youth Category (over 15 years of age)
Directed by: Asaf Saban
Poland, Israel, Germany, 2023, 99 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 6
Score:
Israeli high school students Frisch, Nitzan, and Ido, their classmates, teachers and Frisch's grandfather Josef, travel to Poland to visit Holocaust sites. The trio’s friendship faces problems; Nitzan is in love with Ida, but he is dating another girl, and Frisch is starting to feel more than friendship for Nitzan. When they visit camps where millions died, hear Joseph's stories, and watch the musical Fiddler on the Roof on a bus, their lives change. But it is not the tragic past of their nation that brings about change; it is mainly the journey itself. The teens are out of school, out of the country, and out of order. They are more aware of who they are and what is important to them. The sensitive film, which opens the theme of love, identity and friendship against a background of cultural traditions and tragic history, premiered at this year's Berlinale.
Mon 05.06.2023 | 08:30Dear Zoe (2022)
Section: Beyond the Childhood Horizon
Directed by: Gren Wells
United States of America, 2022, 94 min
Projection place: Golden Apple Cinema 1
Score:
A powerful story of grief and resilience told from the point of view of a 16-year-old girl, Dear Zoe is a coming-of-age drama in which Tess enlists her biological father – a lovable slacker from the wrong side of the tracks – and the charming juvenile delinquent next door to help her come to grips with the death of her little sister.