Forest adventures and the carefree pleasure of toasting treats over an open fire, rescuing puffins on Iceland’s breathtaking coast, yearning for home, experiencing the cruelty of war, and struggling to express one’s identity… Growing up is both an exciting and intensely difficult period, during which young people have to face numerous challenges – also ones far beyond their control.
This year’s Kids & Youth Fest – part of the Doc4Teens project held at the Krakow Film Festival – offers teenage audiences five remarkable documentaries whose creators have each set out to shed light on the highs and lows of adolescence. The protagonists portrayed by the filmmakers, not only inspire but also prompt introspection about identity and the issues that plague the modern world.
In the thematic section Ecology All Around we propose to replace traditional classes with visual storytelling, believing that cinema is one of the tools that help instil environmental awareness and responsibility. Meanwhile, in the two subsequent segments – Next to Us and Tales from Around the World – young viewers will get to see the lives of young girls from diverse backgrounds who have to navigate the realities of migration, conflict, and societal tension. For even younger audiences, Kids & Youth Fest has also prepared a poignant fiction film and a vibrant animated family feature.
Ecology All Around
Can a generation raised with smartphones in hand still find wonder in the natural world and revel in the simple joy of a forest expedition? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’! In Trip to the Forest, Polish director Sławomir Mielnik follows a group of pupils over the course of a year as they regularly venture into nature, keenly observing the emotions and behaviour of these young people when placed in unfamiliar surroundings. Far from the urban clamour and ever-present electronic devices, the woodland challenges draw them into the present, fostering connections not only with one another but also with the natural world. In Mielnik’s lens, the forest – so unlike the pixelated realm of Minecraft – becomes an exciting space of discovery, where young people gain new experiences and skills as well as lasting memories.
A similarly profound lesson in respecting and caring for the environment unfolds on an Icelandic island in Puffling (dir. Jessica Bishopp). Instead of spending their nights partying, teenagers Birta and Selmato engage in an unusual mission: saving young puffins lured astray by city lights. Bishopp subtly weaves a coming-of-age narrative into this environmental tale, drawing a meaningful parallel between the fledging birds and the girls themselves – just as birds leave their nests, so do the girls – not without a fear for the future – stand at the cusp of adulthood.
Next to Us
Growing up becomes even more painful when the innocence of childhood is brutally shattered by armed conflict. In Mattias Bavré’s documentary Zlata, the twelve-year-old Ukrainian girl – and titular heroine – struggles to adjust to life in Belgium after fleeing her war-torn homeland. Accompanied by her mother and younger brother, Zlata’s thoughts remain with her father, who stayed behind to fight for their country. The daily strain of displacement and longing intertwines with her journey into adolescence, resulting in a tender story about the strength of a child who continues to search for her identity amid the chaos of war and dislocation.
Tales from Around the World
The theme of self-expression and identity is also close to the director of Fatmé. The documentary by Diala Al Hindaoui profiles an eleven-year-old Syrian girl living with her family in a roadside refugee tent. In a world steeped in rules and social expectations, particularly for girls, the spirited, rebellious Fatmé defies convention. With tangled hair, dirty clothes, and a fondness for picking fights, she challenges stereotypical image of a girl, arousing controversy in the community. Diala Al Hindaoui – herself a refugee – follows Fatmé with profound empathy, crafting a brief but vivid portrait of life on the margins of society. The film does more than bear witness to hardship; it raises vital questions about gender, identity, and childhood autonomy. What begins as a quiet observation becomes a moving reflection on strength that can be found even in the unlikeliest of places.
Did you know that there exists a place in today’s world where every sound made by women in public – even the sound of their footsteps or their music – is treated as a strictly punishable act of defiance? The documentary Last Song from Kabul, directed by Kevin Macdonald and Ruhi Hamid, tells the powerful story of Afghanistan’s first all-female orchestra, Zohra, formed in 2015. At the heart of this story is Marzia, a young woman from an impoverished background who finds her calling in music. But when the Taliban return to power in 2021 and music is banned, the artists are forced into exile. Freedom, however, comes with its own set of challenges – alienation, longing for loved ones, and prejudice. Despite personal trauma, Marzia and her fellow musicians seek solace and strength in music once more. Last Song from Kabul is a testament to the defiance of young women who, even in exile, refuse to abandon their dreams.
The Mighty Heart of a Child
A (super)heroine, who – like all the girls featured above – confronts adversity with extraordinary courage, awaits the audiences in Kraków in the fiction film Supa Modo. The moving and award-winning debut by Likarion Wainaina, awarded the Crystal Bear at Berlinale, tackles the subject of terminal illness with rare grace, confronting it with the need for hope, play, and strength given by fantasy. Jo, whose heart beats to the rhythm of superhero stories, uses imagination to move objects, stop time, and mend the world – just like her cinematic idols. Supa Modo is a heartfelt ode to childhood bravery and the strength of friendship, whose magic can illuminate even the darkest times.
This final superpower – building selfless, supportive relationships – is also discovered by Kun, the young protagonist of the animated film Mirai, whose creator, Mamoru Hosoda, has taken an insightful look into the range of emotions experienced by the young boy. The inability to overcome jealousy following the birth of his baby sister, his confusion and yearning for affection spark a time-travelling adventure that helps Kun better understand his family – and himself.
Films in the Kids & Youth Fest section:
- Fatmé, dir. Diala Al Hindaoui, France, 15’, 2023
- Puffling, dir. Jessica Bishopp, United Kingdom, 20’, 2023
- Mirai, dir. Mamoru Hosoda, Japan, 100’, 2018
- Last Song from Kabul, dir. Kevin Macdonald, Ruhi Hamid, Germany, Portugal, United Kingdom, Qatar, Afghanistan, 34’, 2023
- Supa Modo, dir. Likarion Wainaina, Kenya, Germany, 75’, 2018
- Trip to the Forest, dir. Sławomir Mielnik, Poland, 61’, 2023
- Zlata, dir. Mattias Bavré, Belgium, 51’, 2023
Admission to the screenings is free. Registration for screenings for organised school groups: [email protected]
Passes and tickets for the 65th Kraków Film Festival are now on sale!
The Krakow Film Festival is on the exclusive list of film events qualifying for the Academy Awards® in short film categories (fiction, animation, documentary) and feature-length documentary and provides recommendations for the European Film Awards in the same categories.
The Krakow Film Festival is organised with financial support from the City of Krakow, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Polish Film Institute, and the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme. The Polish Filmmakers Association serves as co-organiser.
The KFF at the Barbican is co-organised by the National Cultural Centre as part of the cultural programme of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2025.
The 65th Krakow Film Festival will be held from 25 May to 1 June 2025, and online on KFF VOD from 30 May to 15 June.