Coming Of Age (2024)

a little woman

A bloodstain on a sheet triggers a great transformation in Tina, an eleven-year-old girl. As she spreads out the laundry with her mother, she will have to silently face all those unknown feelings she thought would never come.

Brigitte Bardot Forever

Inspired by the tale of Telemachus in Homer’s Odyssey, young Adam’s mother is persecuted by the state police because his father fought in WWII as a pilot before disappearing. Adam fantasizes about his father and one day, while watching Godard’s Contempt in the cinema, finds himself transported into the dressing room of Brigitte Bardot and into a world where he meets a coterie of her contemporary celebrities.

Sebastian

Max is a 25-year-old freelance writer and aspiring novelist who seems well on his way to success in London’s cultural spheres. Yet by night, he finds a different kind of exhilaration as a sex worker with the pseudonym Sebastian, meeting men via an escorting platform. Max uses his experiences as Sebastian to fuel his stories and the worthy debut novel that he has been longing to write, finally seems within reach.

Worlds Apart

17-year-old Sara leads a sheltered existence with her family, members of Jehovah’s Witnesses, when she meets the outsider Teis and falls in love. Sara, herself a believer, now faces an important turning point in her life as she is forced to choose between religion and love.

Aching Hearts

Set in the early 1960s, the story revolves around high school sweethearts Jonas and Agnete, their friendships and families, trials and tribulations.

Zappa

Denmark, 1961. Bjørn, a middle-class boy in his early teens, wants to be accepted by Steen, a bullying peer of his with wealthy but freezingly cold parents. Bjørn's other good friend is Mulle, a cheerful and more childish working-class boy. All three seem friends at first, but gradually Steen starts pushing Mulle away while pulling the impressionable Bjørn with him towards more and more violence.

Wasted

A group of high school friends reunite in their hometown for the funeral of an old buddy, 'Bender'; they will spend a weekend struggling to accept that Bender escaped what they can't — adulthood.

Sharmaji Namkeen

Late Rishi Kapoor in his swansong plays B. G. Sharma, a 58-year old middle-class widower living in West Delhi. After being laid off from the company he has worked for his entire life, Sharmaji struggles to deal with the beast called retirement. His struggle to stay relevant in front of his two sons finally ends when he rekindles his love for cooking through a kitty party. A bunch of merry women rekindle in Sharma, a passion for cooking and chutzpah in general, that help him find his true calling.

My Best Friend

Lorenzo, a quiet teenager lives in a small town at the edge of the world in beautiful Patagonia. He’s a good student and a curious and smart person, more skilled in music and literature than sports. Lorenzo’s father decides to host Caito, the son of a friend from Buenos Aires who had to go to hospital for a long stay. Caito has obviously a different family background and seems to be a tough kid. Lorenzo finds Caito very intriguing in many ways as they start spending a lot of time together…

The Jungle Book

The boy Mowgli makes his way to the man-village with Bagheera, the wise panther. Along the way he meets jazzy King Louie, the hypnotic snake Kaa and the lovable, happy-go-lucky bear Baloo, who teaches Mowgli "The Bare Necessities" of life and the true meaning of friendship.

Kids

A day in the life of a group of teens as they travel around New York City skating, drinking, smoking and deflowering virgins.

Risky Business

Meet Joel Goodson, an industrious, college-bound 17-year-old and a responsible, trustworthy son. However, when his parents go away and leave him home alone in the wealthy Chicago suburbs with the Porsche at his disposal he quickly decides he has been good for too long and it is time to enjoy himself. After an unfortunate incident with the Porsche Joel must raise some cash, in a risky way.

Crazy

Benjamin, a 16-year-old with lousy grades, switches to a boarding school in order to eventually reach grammar school. Adjusting to his new environment is difficult as he has to struggle with being a teen... specially when he falls in love to the school's dream girl, Malen.

Moana

In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by Maui reaches an impetuous Chieftain's daughter's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out the demigod to set things right.

Now and Then

Waxing nostalgic about the bittersweet passage from childhood to puberty, four childhood girlfriends — Teeny, Chrissy, Samantha and Roberta — recall the magical summer of 1970. During their walk down memory lane, they reconcile experiences with boys, secrets, bullies and more.

Beautiful Girls

During a snowy winter in the small fictional town of Knight's Ridge, Massachusetts, a group of lifelong buddies hang out, drink and struggle to connect with the women who affect their decisions, dreams and desires.

Dazed and Confused

The adventures of a group of Texas teens on their last day of school in 1976, centering on student Randall Floyd, who moves easily among stoners, jocks and geeks. Floyd is a star athlete, but he also likes smoking weed, which presents a conundrum when his football coach demands he sign a "no drugs" pledge.

The Wild Chicks and Life

The Wild Chicks are slowly growing out of their youthful gang years and have to face the worries of growing up on the sidelines of a big class trip before graduation.

The Tree of Life

The impressionistic story of a Texas family in the 1950s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.

Treasure Planet

When space galleon cabin boy Jim Hawkins discovers a map to an intergalactic "loot of a thousand worlds," a cyborg cook named John Silver teaches him to battle supernovas and space storms on their journey to find treasure.

Flamboyants

The trajectory of flamboyant bodies that expose themselves in their social networks, whether artistic or not, and use these spaces freely.

Tolkien

England, early 20th century. The future writer and philologist John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) and three of his schoolmates create a strong bond between them as they share the same passion for literature and art, a true fellowship that strengthens as they grow up, but the outbreak of World War I threatens to shatter it.

Nick and the Jade Tree

Nick is a caterpillar boy who, having overcome the taboo of the swamp, becomes a butterfly and, regardless of difficulties, strives for his dream - the Magic jade tree, where all the most beautiful butterflies of the world live. Dangerous trials, fun adventures, new friends and, of course, first love await Nick on his way.

Madeline's Madeline

Madeline has become an integral part of a prestigious physical theater troupe. When the workshop's ambitious director pushes the teenager to weave her rich interior world and troubled history with her mother into their collective art, the lines between performance and reality begin to blur. The resulting battle between imagination and appropriation rips out of the rehearsal space and through all three women's lives.

X+Y

A socially awkward teenage math prodigy finds new confidence and new friendships when he lands a spot on the British squad at the International Mathematics Olympiad.

I Saw the TV Glow

Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate Maddy introduces him to a mysterious TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

Glasgow

Damian, a young boy raised by a single mother, believes that his father is a famous footballer playing for Glasgow Celtic F.C. His dream is to visit him. In his everyday life he has difficulty finding a common language with his mother who is trying to make a new life for herself with a younger man.

Mean Creek

Teenagers living in small-town Oregon take a boat trip for a birthday celebration. When they get an idea to play a mean trick on the town bully, it suddenly goes too far. Soon they're forced to deal with the unexpected consequences of their actions.

The Egg

A college freshman takes advantage of a rumor, straining the relationships with those around him.

Can't Win. Do Try.

In a bid to extend his adolescence, Gordon convinces his reluctant fiancée to allow his best-friend Jez and himself to live in the house they have just bought in a bachelor pad situation for the year before they get married.

The Groomsmen

Blue-collar Paulie prepares for fatherhood and his forthcoming wedding to Sue by hanging out with his groomsmen. Brother Jimbo, cousin Mike, and his pals fill the reunion with drinking, boys-will-be-boys antics and a few unexpected personal confessions. But, when the bonding devolves into accusations and regret, Paulie has to decide whether he's ready to tie the knot and take this big step into adulthood.

Have You Forgotten What We Used to Play?

This short film tells the story of a childhood, of a friendship and of growing up. A young man returns to the village where he grew up and discovers that both he and the place have changed. Yet, he soon finds himself immersed in his memories.

In Her Own Time

Jane and Mia have a sisterly friendship, and like sisters, they argue frequently. Jane is trying to get into art school, but is conflicted because she is afraid that she has to leave Mia behind if she accepts her place at Art school.

Dirty Dancing

Expecting the usual tedium that accompanies a summer in the Catskills with her family, 17-year-old Frances 'Baby' Houseman is surprised to find herself stepping into the shoes of a professional hoofer—and unexpectedly falling in love.

The 400 Blows

For young Parisian boy Antoine Doinel, life is one difficult situation after another. Surrounded by inconsiderate adults, including his neglectful parents, Antoine spends his days with his best friend, Rene, trying to plan for a better life. When one of their schemes goes awry, Antoine ends up in trouble with the law, leading to even more conflicts with unsympathetic authority figures.

Debut

Ivan has just scored a goal and rushes to kiss Marko.

Pleasantville

Geeky teenager David and his popular twin sister, Jennifer, get sucked into the black-and-white world of a 1950s TV sitcom called "Pleasantville," and find a world where everything is peachy keen all the time. But when Jennifer's modern attitude disrupts Pleasantville's peaceful but boring routine, she literally brings color into its life.

20th Century Girl

In 1999, a teen girl keeps close tabs on a boy in school on behalf of her deeply smitten best friend – then she gets swept up in a love story of her own.

Ninjababy

When Rakel finds out she's six months pregnant after a one-night stand, her world changes. She is absolutely not ready to be a mother, but since abortion is no longer an option, adoption is the only answer. That's when Ninjababy, an animated character who makes Rakel's life a living hell, turns up.

Mother Says

The film follows different stages in the life of Sofía, a young girl born in Argentina of Chinese descent. From her childhood to her adulthood, she's conflicted by the clash and fusion of both her cultures, all while facing a strenuous relationship with her mother Jia, who places concerns and demands on her.

The Invention of Species

Carla arrives in the Galapagos with her father, an expert biologist in turtle conservation. As he talks about raising endangered species, she faces the risks of her own species. Like the iguanas, which to survive mutated into sea creatures, Carla will transform into an Island and learn to cling to the stone, dive and wait.

Bambi

Bambi's tale unfolds from season to season as the young prince of the forest learns about life, love, and friends.

May We Chat

Three troubled young girls will do anything to escape their stifling lives - even if it means turning to drugs and prostitution. Set in the generation of smartphones and web 2.0, the technology may have made communication easier than ever, but cautionary tales of misunderstood youths remain as relevant as they were two decades ago.

To My Assailant

Song Jin-Woo (Kim Dae-Gun) has worked as a non-permanent contract employee for the past 4 years at Moojin Girls' High School. He is a good teacher and dreams of a school where no one is left out. New contract teacher, Yoo Sung-Pil (Moon Yoo-Kang), comes to Moojin Girls' High School. When Song Jin-Woo was a high school student, he was bullied by Yoo Sung-Pil and other students.

Antarctica

Two teen girls see their long-time friendship crumble from the pressures of adulthood in their last year of high school.

My Summer with the Shark

School's out and 13-year-old Walter has lost his father. In his seemingly aimless wanderings around the Roman coast, a fascinating and mysterious place catches his eye: an abandoned villa with a huge, murky swimming pool. But the villa is not unguarded...

Jinn

Summer is a carefree teenage girl whose world is turned upside down when her mother abruptly converts to Islam and becomes a different person. At first resistant to the faith, she begins to reevaluate her identity after becoming attracted to a Muslim classmate, crossing the thin line between physical desire and piety.

Mustache

It’s the mid-90’s in Northern California and 13-year-old Pakistani-American ILYAS is facing a major crisis — his parents yanked him out of his comfortable Islamic private school and now he has to face life at public school. Ilyas’ fears about joining public school are made worse by insecurities due to his inescapable, prepubescent MUSTACHE. Ilyas hatches a hilarious plan to return to his old school — but he must also learn to accept himself.

Pools

Kennedy has one day to get her shit together or get kicked out of school for good. Instead of buckling down, she rallies a ragtag crew for a midnight pool-hopping adventure through the lavish estates of her college town. But under the surface, Kennedy is searching for answers to the questions tearing her up inside in the wake of her father's death. As the secrets spill, this wild escape becomes a cathartic journey of self-discovery.

Butterfly Cloud

End of childhood, first love and misunderstandings that seem unsolvable. Comic story of sixteen years old boy who seems to be all against his dreams - and the families and friends, and the world from the supermarket where he works.

Birthday Boy

On his 16th birthday, alone and depressed Yoke is taken on a journey by his friend Rico, to have the best birthday possible given the poverty stricken circumstances; some unexpected company and lessons are found along the way. Shot on MiniDV tapes and totally handheld.

Bully

When a video of Toby being brutally humiliated at school appears on the Internet, Toby's high school and parents take action. However, with an overbearing father and a willfully unaware mother, Toby soon learns that his demons are not just in the classroom.

Jack Kerouac's Road: A Franco-American Odyssey

Part documentary, part drama, this film presents the life and work of Jack Kerouac, an American writer with Québec roots who became one of the most important spokesmen for his generation. Intercut with archival footage, photographs and interviews, this film takes apart the heroic myth and even returns to the childhood of the author whose life and work contributed greatly to the cultural, sexual and social revolution of the 1960s.

Aban

Under constant pressure from her ex-husband, Nazanin should turn their child - Aban, nine years old - away from a very driven feminine taste. One day, Aban goes to the hospital thinking of undergoing life-changing surgery.

Moana 2

After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana journeys alongside Maui and a new crew to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she's ever faced.

Hampie - A Little Whale Discovers His World

Whales are the largest mammals in the oceans. Giants like Moby Dick inhabit the world’s oceans. But Flipper, the dolphin, also belongs to their species. Hampie, the little humpback whale, will not become as huge as Moby Dick. But at his birth he is already much larger than Flipper. When he has grown up, he has no natural enemies in the ocean. But growing up is quite stressful, Hampie can tell you about it. And no enemies? – That would be nice. But see for yourself how he lives. Get to know his family and listen to the tales from the past. Discover his living space, which is beautiful, but also full of dangers. And accompany him on his long, adventurous journey from the Pacific to the Arctic.

The Rooftop

High schooler You Cheng fumbles a hookup with Wen Ting, making him panic. To solve this issue, he spies on others, but Jing Hao’s nude shocks him.

Bar Mitzvah Boy

On the eve of his Bar Mitzvah, young Elliot finds that all the grown men in his life are somewhat wanting.

The Kings of the World

Rá, Culebro, Sere, Winny and Nano. Five boys who live on the streets of Medellín. Five kings with no kingdom, no law, no family, set out on a journey in search of the promised land. A subversive tale told through a wild and endearing clan, somewhere between reality and delirium. A journey to nowhere, where everything happens.

Word of God

It is the 1980s. Jens and his brothers live in a single-family house in Risskov, a suburb of Aarhus, Denmark. Here, the family's patriarch psychologist and self-appointed God, Uffe, rules the roost in his dressing gown and underwear. Changes threaten the peace when Uffe decides to write his memoirs.

Harold and Maude

The young Harold lives in his own world of suicide-attempts and funeral visits to avoid the misery of his current family and home environment. Harold meets an 80-year-old woman named Maude who also lives in her own world yet one in which she is having the time of her life. When the two opposites meet they realize that their differences don’t matter and they become best friends and love each other.

Ocean's Arrival

On the winter solstice, four friends reunite at their family's beachside cabin after years apart. From the ocean, a mysterious stranger arrives seeking refuge, eventually pitting the friends against one another. Fantasy, fear, and reality blend together as the days unfold.

The Swan

When young Sól is sent to live with her distant countryside relatives for a summer, she becomes entangled in a dramatic rite of passage with a mysterious farmhand, Jón, and the farmer’s daughter, Ásta.

Sarah Plays a Werewolf

17-year old Sarah, filled with adolescent angst, is an extreme person who in her rehearsals with a theatre group is transformed until she is almost in a trance, and her performances at home or elsewhere verge on excess. A cold, intellectual father, a timid mother, a younger sister and an older brother who has left home complete the picture: a silent time bomb.

Boys Feels: I Love Trouble

Whether it's playing games in a military zone, cheating at school tests, crossing borders for cheap thrills or doing whatever it takes to make illicit money - these boys know that with every risk, they move closer and closer to an irreversible jeopardy. Deftly exploring masculinity and peer-pressure, these five coming-of-age tales from France, the Netherlands and Lithuania from burgeoning new filmmakers demonstrate that sometimes young hearts can run dangerously free. The short films are: Gotta (2015); The Last Day of School (2019); Tree House [Cabane] (2016); Gameboy (2014); Pollux (2018).