YOUNG HEARTS

Elias (14) feels attracted to his new neighbour Alexander (14). Soon he realizes that he's truly in love for the first time. The interactions with his friends and family bring more questions than answers. Confused by his burgeoning feelings, Elias tries to sort out his inner chaos to prove that he is worth Alexander's heart.

  • writer-director: Anthony Schatteman

  • with: Lou Goossens, Marius De Saeger, Geert Van Rampelberg, Emilie De Roo and Dirk Van Dijck

  • producer:  Xavier Rombaut – Polar Bear (BE)

  • co-producers: Floor Onrust - Family Affair Films (NL), Annabella Nezri - Kwassa Films (BE)

  • genre: feelgood drama

  • country: Belgium / The Netherlands

  • year: 2024

  • duration: 97 minutes

  • Benelux distribution: Kinepolis Film Distribution

  • world sales: Films Boutique

  • with the support of: Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) of the government of Flanders, Screen Flanders, Ketnet, BETV, Sabam for culture, Tax shelter of the Belgian federal government via Mohow!, Netherlands Film Production Incentive

  • developed through Cinekid Scriptlab

  • 2024

    • Berlinale International Film Festival (DE)

    • Kristiansand International Children’s Film Festival (NO)

    • Pink Apple (CH)

    • Schwule Filmwoche Freiburg (DE)

    • Cannes Ecrans Junior (FR)

    • Seattle International Film Festival (US)

    • Inside Out Toronto (CA)

    • Zlín International Film Festival for Children and Youth (CZ)

    • Hofkino (CH)

    • Frameline Fest (US)

    • Out Film Connecticut (US)

    • Provincetown International Film Festival (US)

    • Busan International Kids and Youth Film Festival (KR)

    • Omladinski Film Festival Sarajevo (BA)

    • Giffoni Film Festival (IT)

    • Festival Ciné-Recontres Récompenses 2024 (FR)

    • Letni Filmnova Skola (CZ)

    • Lakeside Film Festival (DE)

    • CinemaQ Denver Film (US)

    • ABB - private screening (CZ)

    • Jerusalem Film Festival (IL)

    • The Norwegian International Film Festival (NO)

    • TIFF Junior 2024 (NO)

    • The Center-Film Center Qfilms 2024 (US)

    • Vancouver Queer Film Festival (US)

    • Queer Film Festival (DE)

    • 35th Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival (CN)

    • Rencontres Nationales Art et Essai Jeune Public (FR)

    • Filmout San Diego (US)

    • Reeling: Chicago L&G International Film Festival (US)

    • Desert Film Society (US)

    • Out on Film Atlanta (US)

    • Vinokino - Finnish Queer Film Festival (FI)

    • Golden Village Love & Pride Film Festival (SG)

    • Buster Film Festival (DK)

    • Kijuko Film Festival Bremen (DE)

    • Oslo/Fusion International Film Fest (NO)

    • Out at the Movies Fest (US)

    • Everybody’s Perfect (CH)

    • Junges Filmfestival Köln/Cinepänz (DE)

    • Kaohsiung Film Festival (TW)

    • Film Fest Gent (BE)

    • NewFest (US)

    • Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival (UK)

    • OUTshine Film Festival (US)

    • Taiwan International Queer Film Festival (TW)

    • Morelia Film Fest (MX)

    • Montclair Film (US)

    • Pride Pictures (DE)

    • KinderFilmFest Münster (DE)

    • Adelaide Film Festival (AU)

    • Jakarta World Cinema (ID)

    • Windsor International Film Festival (US)

    • Kyiv International Film Festival Molodist (UA)

    • Thessaloniki International Film Festival (GR)

    • Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival (US)

    • Seoul International PRIDE Film Festival (KR)

    • QUEERSICHT Filmfestival (CH)

    • Cork International Film Festival (IE)

    • Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (EE)

    • Sevilla Film Festival (ES)

    • Key West Film Festival (US)

    • Ljubljana International Film Festival (SI)

    • Melbourne Queer Film Festival (AU)

    • Exground Filmfest (DE)

    • Slovak Queer Film Festival (SK)

    • Image+nation Festival Film LGBT2SQUEER (CA)

    • International Young Audience Film Festival Ale Kino! (PL)

    • International Film Festival of Kerala (IN)

    2025

    • Ramdam festival (BE)

    • Festival Chefs Op’ en Lumière (FR)

    • Mardi Gras Film Festival (AU)

    • Jeugdfilm Festival Antwerpen (BE)

    • Luxembourg City Film Festival (LU)

  • 2024

    • Crystal Bear Special Mention Award - Berlinale International Film Festival (DE)

    • Best Feature Special Mention Award - Pink Apple (CH)

    • Audience Award - Schwule Filmwoche Freiburg (DE)

    • Grand Prix Des Collégiens - Cannes Ecrans Junior (FR)

    • New Directors Award - Seattle International Film Festival (US)

    • Prize of Outstanding Performance for Lou Goossens - Inside Out Toronto (CA)

    • Golden Slipper for Best Feature Film in the Junior Category- Zlín International Film Festival for Children and Youth (CZ)

    • Golden Apple, The city of Zlin Audience Award for Best Feature Film in Children, Junior and Youth Category - Zlín International Film Festival for Children and Youth (CZ)

    • Honorary Mention for Outstanding First Feature - Frameline Fest (US)

    • Director’s Award - Out Film Connecticut (US)

    • Audience Award Honorable Mention for Best Feature Film - Out Film Connecticut (US)

    • Prix du Public Solveig Anspach - Festival Ciné-recontres Récompenses 2024 (FR)

    • Audience Award - Letni Filmnova Skola (CZ)

    • Best Feature Film - The Center-Film Center Qfilms (US)

    • Best Performance for Lou Goossens - The Center-Film Center Qfilms (US)

    • Best International Feature - Filmout San Diego (US)

    • Outstanding Emerging Performance for Lou Goossens - Filmout San Diego (US)

    • Audience Award Best Narrative feature - Reeling: Chicago L&G International Film Festival (US)

    • Jury Award Best Narrative Feature - Out on Film Atlanta (US)

    • Jury Award Best First Feature - Out on Film Atlanta (US)

    • Audience Award Runner-up Best Narrative Feature - Out on Film Atlanta (US)

    • Feature Film Award - Oslo/Fusion International Film Fest (NO)

    • Audience Award Best Narrative Feature - Out at the Movies Fest (US)

    • Jury Award Best Performance in a Leading Role for Lou Goossens - Out at the Movies Fest (US)

    • Jury Award Best Narrative Feature - Out at the Movies Fest (US)

    • Prix Du Public - Everybody’s Perfect (CH)

    • Bester Film Der Jury Teens - Junges Filmfestival Köln/Cinepänz (DE)

    • Special Mention for Lou Goossens for his performance - NewFest (US)

    • Best Feature Film - Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival (UK)

    • Best Performance in a Male Role for Lou Goossens - Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival (UK)

    • Best International New Talent in Feature-Length Queer Film - Taiwan International Queer Film Festival (TW)

    • Audience Award World Cinema - Montclair Film (US)

    • Premio Cinéfilos del Futuro - Sevilla Film Festival (ES)

    • ECFA Award for Best Feature Film for Children - International Young Audience Film Festival Ale Kino! (PO)

    • Children Jury Award for The Best Film for Children - International Young Audience Film Festival Ale Kino! (PO)

    • Audience Award Runner Up Best Feature Film - OUTShine Film Festival (US)

    2025

    • Best Feature Film - Ramdam festival (BE)