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Young Hearts (2024 film)

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Young Hearts
Festival release poster
GermanJunge Herzen
Directed byAnthony Schatteman
Written byAnthony Schatteman
Produced by
  • Xavier Rombaut
  • Floor Onrust
  • Annabella Nezri
Starring
  • Lou Goossens
  • Marius De Saeger
CinematographyPieter Van Campe
Edited byEmiel Nuninga
Music byRuben De Gheselle
Production
companies
  • Polar Bear
  • Family Affair Films
  • Kwassa Films
Distributed byKinepolis Film Distribution
Release date
Running time
97 minutes
Countries
  • Belgium
  • Netherlands
Languages
  • Dutch
  • French

Young Hearts (German: Junge Herzen) is a 2024 coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Anthony Schatteman in his feature directorial debut. The film tells the story of 14-year-old boy Elias, who falls in love with his new neighbour boy Alexander of the same age.[1]

The Belgian-Dutch co-production was selected in the Generation Kplus section at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, where it had its World premiere on 17 February and compete for Crystal Bear for the Best Film.[2]

Synopsis

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Elias, a 14-year-old boy, befriends his new neighbour Alexander, who is also 14. Alexander is a confident and headstrong boy from Brussels. They get along well. Alexander tells Elias he likes boys and asks him about his love life. Elias has feelings for Alexander but hides them. He is scared of what others might think and lies to everyone. He ends up pushing Alexander away and feels lonely. But when his grandfather tells him how much he loved his late wife, Elias understands that love is too important to lose. He decides to do something to get Alexander back...

Cast

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  • Lou Goossens as Elias
  • Marius De Saeger as Alexander
  • Geert Van Rampelberg as Luk
  • Emilie De Roo as Nathalie
  • Dirk Van Dijck as Fred

Production

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The feature debut of Anthony Schatteman has Lou Goossens and Marius De Saeger in the main roles, with Geert Van Rampelberg, Emilie De Roo and Dirk Van Dyck playing pivotal roles. The film is produced by Polar Bear, in co-production with the Belgian Kwassa Films and the Dutch Family Affair Films.[3]

Release

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Young Hearts had its World premiere on 17 February 2024, as part of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, in Generation Kplus.[4][5][6] It was also screened at 50th Seattle International Film Festival in May 2024[7] and 77th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes Écrans Juniors section on 22 May 2024.[8] It had its Canadian premiere at the Inside Out Film and Video Festival on 28 May 2024 in Centrepiece Gala.[9]

It also featured in the International Competition of Feature Films in the junior category on 2 June 2024 in the 64th edition of the Zlín Film Festival, also known as the International Film Festival for Children and Youth held in the Czech Republic.[10] The film competed for Iris Prize Best Feature Award in Iris Prize and was screened on 10 October 2024.[11]

The film is expected to be released in Belgian cinemas in the autumn of 2024 by Kinepolis Film Distribution.[3]

Reception

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Aurore Engelen reviewing the film at Berlinale for Cineuropa wrote, "Young Hearts is an authentic coming-of-age tale which enriches the existing body of family films with a wonderful queer love story."[12]

Catherine Bray writing in Variety praised Lou Goossens, for being "naturalistic and able to convey subtle shades of inner turmoil, despite his young age." Praising director Anthony Schatteman for his direction wrote, "his direction feels calm and quietly confident in ways that is not always the case with a debut." Concluding her review she opined, "Young Hearts, while gentler and less obviously tear-jerking, benefits from a sincere and lived-in emotional honesty which serves its aims well."[13]

Hayley Croke reviewing at Berlinale in Loud And Clear Reviews awarded 3.5 stars and wrote, "Young Hearts, beautifully encapsulates the feelings of having your first love in its entirety." Croke concluded, "While a love story, Young Hearts really is a story about coming into yourself as a young person and the decisions you have to make in the quest to find who you are."[14]

Amber Wilkinson reviewing at Berlinale in Eye For Film awarded 3.5 stars and wrote, "This coming-of-age drama gently probes the insecurities experienced by a teenager as he explores his sexuality."Wilkinson opined, "It may be a little sentimental at the edges, but the heart of Anthony Schatteman’s film is in the right place."[15]

Laslo Rojas Contreras reviewing at Berlinale in Cinencuentro wrote, "Young Hearts is a film that offers a positive perspective on gay relationships, and tries to challenge the stereotypes and prejudices that still exist within society, yet perhaps in a way that is too light for the current times."[16]

Alexa Dalby reviewing at Berlinale in Dog and Wolf rated the film with three stars and wrote, "The boys’ performances are outstanding." Concluding Dalby wonders, "how much the film is influenced by 1976 disco song "Young Hearts Run Free" by Candi Staton?"[17]

Accolades

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The film was selected in Generation Kplus at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, thus it was nominated to compete for the Crystal Bear.

Award Date Category Recipient Result Ref.
Berlin International Film Festival 25 February 2024 Children's Jury Generation Kplus:Special Mention Anthony Schatteman Won [4][18]
Teddy Award for Best Feature Film Nominated [19]
Seattle International Film Festival 19 May 2024 SIFF 2024 New Directors Competition :Special Jury Mention Won [7]
Inside Out Film and Video Festival 1 June 2024 Outstanding Performance Lou Goossens Won [20]
Out on Film 7 October 2024 Jury Awards for Best Narrative Feature and Best First Feature Anthony Schatteman Won [21]
Iris Prize 19 October 2024 Iris Prize Best Feature Award Won [22]

References

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  1. ^ Schatteman, Anthony (January 18, 2024). "Young Hearts". Cineuropa. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  2. ^ Economou, Vassilis (January 18, 2024). "Berlin unveils the entirety of its Generation line-up". Cineuropa. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Filmdebuut Young Hearts van Anthony Schatteman naar Filmfestival Berlijn" [Film debut Young Hearts by Anthony Schatteman to the Berlin Film Festival]. Vertigoweb (in Dutch). January 17, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Goodfellow, Melanie (January 17, 2024). "Berlinale Unveils Full Panorama, Forum & Generation Line-Ups With New Films By Nathan Silver, Levan Akin, André Téchiné & Bruce LaBruce". Deadline. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  5. ^ Dalton, Ben (January 17, 2024). "Berlinale unveils complete 2024 Panorama, Generation, Forum sections". ScreenDaily. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  6. ^ "Young Hearts". Berlinale. February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Lexi Carson (May 19, 2024). "Seattle International Film Festival Awards Top Honors to 'Sing Sing,' 'Gloria!'". Variety. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  8. ^ "Cannes Screens Juniors 2024 Selection". Cannes Cinema. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  9. ^ "Centrepiece Gala: Young Hearts". Inside Out 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  10. ^ Kudláč, Martin (May 13, 2024). "The Zlín Film Festival set to showcase diverse youth cinema from around the globe". Cineuropa. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  11. ^ "Young Hearts". Iris Prize. October 10, 2024. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  12. ^ Engelen, Aurore (February 17, 2024). "Review: Young Hearts". Cineuropa. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  13. ^ Catherine Bray (February 18, 2024). "'Young Hearts' Review: Confident Belgian Debut Takes a Gentle Look at Kids Figuring Out Their Identities". Variety. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  14. ^ Hayley Croke (February 17, 2024). "Young Hearts: Berlin Film Review". Loud And Clear Reviews. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  15. ^ Amber Wilkinson (February 17, 2024). "Young Hearts: Berlin Film Review". Eye For Film. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  16. ^ Laslo Rojas Contreras (February 18, 2024). "Berlinale 2024: «Young Hearts», de Anthony Schatteman" [Berlinale 2024: “Young Hearts”, by Anthony Schatteman]. Cinencuentro (in Spanish). Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  17. ^ Alexa Dalby (February 18, 2024). "First Love and How to Survive it". Dog and Wolf. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  18. ^ "Berlinale: Children's Jury Generation Kplus". Berlinale. February 24, 2024. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  19. ^ Gregory Coutaut (February 3, 2024). "Les films en compétition pour le Teddy Award 2024" [The films in competition for the Teddy Award 2024]. Polyester (in French). WordPress. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  20. ^ Complex, Valerie (June 3, 2024). "'A Mother Apart' Wins Top Prize At Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival Awards". Deadline. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  21. ^ "Out On Film 2024 Jury Award Winners". Out on Film. October 7, 2024. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  22. ^ "Young Hearts wins Iris Prize Best Feature award". Iris Prize. October 19, 2024. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
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