IDFA Competition for Youth Documentary | IDFA Festival

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IDFA Competition for Youth Documentary

IDFA Competition for Youth Documentary

The IDFA Competition for Youth Documentary offers world-class films that challenge our understanding of youth documentary. Curated by filmmaker Niki Padidar, the selection showcases compelling films that take on complex realities and leave room for interpretation, presented for two distinct age groups: 9- to 12-year-olds, and 13-year-olds all the way to adulthood.

C

Crushed

Crushed

As colorful, patched-up junk cars are smashed to pieces during a wild race, a young woman tells the story of a violent relationship that nearly ended in her death before she was 20.

F

the Flower by the Road

the Flower by the Road

Giorgi Parkosadze

A few dreamlike glimpses into the life of a young girl who is on her way to meet a beloved friend, and for whom nothing exists but the here and now.

H

Hey Dad

Hey Dad

In this short, contemplative Taiwanese animation, a young man searches for the courage and the words to reveal the secret that stands between him and his father. After 20 years, has the right time finally come?

I

The Invisible Ones

The Invisible Ones

Martijn Blekendaal

An exciting exploration of what life is like for a child needing to be invisible – either in order to survive, or to feel safe. Specially for these children, the filmmaker creates a superhero—on screen, but invisible.

M

My Homeland

My Homeland

Tabarak Allah Abbas

Filmmaker Tabarak Allah Abbas uses imaginative animation to tell the story of how her parents fled Iraq. A moving family portrait, packaged as a high-powered superhero adventure.

P

A Place to Call Home

A Place to Call Home

Parisa Aminolahi

After a journey through Iran, Wales, and the Netherlands, a father and his two daughters settle in a large house in Sweden. They feel lonely and disconnected as they struggle to adapt to their new environment.

S

Simply Divine

Simply Divine

Mélody Boulissière

Accompanied by beautiful oil painting-style animations and archive footage, 91-year-old Nușa talks about a relationship she had with a soldier when she was young. She lost contact with him while he was at the front, but has never forgotten him.

Somewhere to Be

Somewhere to Be

A vertical phone screen, filmed for eight minutes. That’s all this short film needs in order to show what it means to have every trace of your former existence erased. A powerful illustration of the far-reaching effects of state repression.

W

What’s the Film About?

What’s the Film About?

During a camping trip, the filmmaker wants to talk to her children, aged eleven and eight, about inappropriate touch. This causes discomfort and defensiveness, and leads to comic moments, but also to questions about her parenting.

With Grace

With Grace

Julia Dahr, Dina Mwende

An upbeat tale in which 13-year-old Grace shows how her close-knit family, who live in rural Kenya and are completely dependent on the seasonal weather, are dealing with the consequences of climate change.