“Young Hearts”, interview with the director Anthony Shatteman

February 19, 2024 5

Anthony Shatteman, director , "Young Hearts",a sweet love story, two young kids in love in a wolrd that is ok by it, as it should always be.

"Young Hearts", interview with the director Anthony Shatteman Angelo Acerbi

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Anthony Shatteman‘s “Young Hearts” is a sweet fairytale of a love story between two preadolescent kids, in contemporary belhium. In our talk, we discover the creative and personal motivations behind the film, and the surprise for the reception to the presentation, here at the Berlinale, where it screened in the Generation section.

The film I would have wanted to see

“Young Hearts” is the film I would have loved to see when I was a kid, says Anthony Shatteman about the importance for him of its film. he wrote it with in mind his childhood and his parents, and the effects that such a sweet film could have on younger audience who can relate more to the narrative.

The film that the world waited for (apparently)

When pitching the film, Anthony Shatteman was surprised to get so positive feedback about “Young Hearts“, and especially being praised to do the film, as people needed to be pampered and pleased by a feel good story. So now that audiences love the film so much, he is not that surprised anymore…

Plot

In the middle of the school year, 14-year-old Elias meets his new neighbour Alexander, a boy from Brussels who seems self-confident and headstrong. The two quickly hit it off. Alexander asks Elias if he has a girlfriend – and reveals without hesitation that he’s into boys himself. Elias enjoys spending time with Alexander but keeps his burgeoning feelings to himself. Afraid of the reactions of those around him, he becomes entangled in a web of lies until he no longer knows how to extricate himself apart from to push Alexander away. Elias feels completely alone. However, after a heartfelt conversation with his grandfather about how much he loved his deceased wife, Elias realises that love is too precious to let it slip away. He has to find a way to win Alexander back...

Written by: Angelo Acerbi

Guest

Antonhy Shatteman