Films about kids coming of age long ago stopped being childish parables for young adults only. Coming-of-age cinema has gone a long way. Today these stories amaze with depth, wisdom and incredible intensity of authentic emotions. Such films were picked by us for Warsaw Film Festival. And they're for everybody to enjoy.
Anishoara / Anişoara / Anishoara, dir. Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu (Germany, Moldavia 2016) 106 mins.
Anishoara is 15 years old and lives in a small, picturesquely situated village in Moldova. It is the last year of her childhood in this lovely valley. Soon her new adult life will begin.
Anomie / Anomiya / Anomia, dir. Vladimir Kozlov (Russia 2016) 67 mins.
Three teenagers have no one to help them enter adulthood. One day, what seems to be a minor conflict leads to tragedy…
Heartstone / Hjartasteinn / Serce z kamienia, dir. Guđmundur Arnar Guđmundsson (Iceland, Denmark 2016) 130 mins.
A remote fishing village in Iceland. Teenage boys and best friends Thór and Christian experience a turbulent summer. When summer ends, it's time to leave the playground and face adulthood. The film had its premiere at the Venice festival (Venice Days) and was screened at the Toronto festival.
Hristo / Hristo, dir. Grigor Lefterov, Todor Matsanov (Bulgaria 2016) 99 mins.
Eighteen-year-old Hristo has been living on the streets for as long as he can remember. His biggest goal, for which he’s willing to pay any price, is to live like a "normal" person: to have a job, a place to live, and a family. Or so he thinks.
In The Blood / I blodet / We krwi, dir. Rasmus Heisterberg (Denmark 2016) 104 mins.
Medical students in Copenhagen spend the summer partying. The time comes when they have to make up their minds if it’s time to grow up.
Kékszakállú / Kékszakállú / Sinobrody, dir. Gastón Solnicki (Argentina 2016) 72 mins.
Taking inspiration from Béla Bartók’s opera "Bluebeard’s Castle", this is an unconventional tale about several young women attempting to make their way into adulthood. The film was screened at the Venice and Toronto festivals in 2016.
Land of the Little People / Medinat Hagamadim / Kraina małych ludzi, dir. Yaniv Berman (Israel, Palestine 2016) 83 mins.
Four young kids from military officers’ families form a gang. A troubling social portrait that raises questions and doubts about seemingly obvious things. A film that isn’t afraid to touch sensitive places.
Moon Dogs / Moon Dogs / Księżycowe kundle, dir. Philip John (UK 2016) 90 mins.
During a wild journey from Shetland to Glasgow, two stepbrothers fall in love with the same girl. An anarchic, heart-felt coming-of-age story from the director of "Outlander" and "Downton Abbey".
Memories of Summer / Wspomnienie lata, dir. Adam Guziński (Poland 2016) 90 mins.
Summer in the 1970s in a small provincial town. Teenager Piotrek is spending the holidays with his mother. It turns out to be the most important summer in the boy's life.
Moon In The 12th House / Yareach Be Bait 12 / Księżyc w dwunastym domu, dir. Dorit Hakim (Israel 2016) 109 mins.
Two sisters torn apart years before by a family tragedy are united. Despite their differences, can the sisters' love lead them toward a fragile redemption?
Park / Park, dir. Sofia Exarchou (Greece, Poland 2016) 100 mins.
Poor Greek families live in the decaying Olympic Village in Athens. A portrayal of a young generation that has been betrayed and deprived of its future.
Playground / Plac Zabaw, dir. Bartosz M. Kowalski (Poland 2016) 82 mins.
Two ordinary boys seek amusement on a dull summer afternoon... and alas they find it. Inspired by true events, this observational drama focuses on juvenile psychopathology.
The Transfiguration / Przeobrażenie, dir. Michael O'Shea (USA 2016) 97 mins.
Fourteen-year-old Milo is an outsider. Orphaned, he is ignored by his schoolmates and bullied by older kids. To escape his solitude, he immerses himself in the world of the vampire. An anti-horror film with an absence of the supernatural.
