At some point during one’s growing up, things start to get confusing. The opposite sex stops being described by “Yuck” and one develops an interest in his/her own body and some of its, to that point, latent functions. You realize that all of your peers know things that you don’t – and keeping up with all those changes becomes a challenge of its own.
Youthful sexuality and confusion are at the core of Lou Howe’s 2010 short film My First Claire. In it, 11-year-old Teddy (Brandon Killham) struggles to make sense of all his sudden urges when he sees beautiful girls in real life, television or even in print. With his father being absent, and his friends laughing at his innocence, Teddy has no choice but to walk the road to manhood on his own.
That task gets even more complicated when he is introduced to Claire (Toni Wynne) – his new babysitter. She is beyond beautiful and, to his surprise, she doesn’t mind hanging out with him.
Teddy has a lot of learn…
While the plot of My First Claire doesn’t shine with originally (a sexy babysitter is quite a common fantasy for some), the movie is quite funky and refreshing while, at the same time, accurately portrays the anguish of youthful desire – when one is not sure what is really behind words such as “love” and “desire”.
Brandon Killham is adorable and his portrayal of Teddy would make anyone sense (or recall) the youthful confusion that some girls or boys cause in us all.
It can be quite a challenge to address the subjects of death and grief when children are involved. Yet we have seen it done in quite a few Coming-of-Age movies, as facing death is an inevitable part of everyone’s rite-of-passage experience.
In Joshua Shreve’s 2014 film Chasing Ghosts, the young protagonist, 11-year-old Lucas Simons (Toby Nichols), is obsessed with death. Lucas develops his unusual (for someone so young) obsession after his brother (who is also his best friend) loses his life in a traffic accident.
The boy (an avid film fan and aspiring filmmaker himself) finds a strange hobby – filming funerals at the local cemetery to cope with his grief. One day the boy catches a ghost-like presence, the recording of which swiftly becomes viral on the YouTube channel where Lucas shares his cinematic efforts. The video’s success turns Lucas into a sort of local celebrity, as TV channels compete with each other to have him on their shows.
Meanwhile, Lucas is excited to meet with local author Chris Brighton (Tim Meadows), who recently underwent a near-death experience and has subsequently released a book on the importance of enjoying every moment of our lives – living in the NOW. Boy and author strike up an unusual friendship as Lucas finds in Chris, a role model who is always ready with advice about dealing with his newly attained celebrity status and the typical worries of adolescent boys (young girls).
Toby Nichols and Tim Meadows in Chasing Ghosts
Despite the intriguing premise and the outstanding actors in the aforementioned lead roles (the supporting cast delivered a mediocre performance), Chasing Ghosts struggles to grab its audience’s interest.
One is left with the impression that director Joshua Shreve was not quite sure until the very last moment what kind of movie he wanted to make: 1) a dark one about death, 2) one that was primarily a Coming-of-Age film with a young boy who learns how to deal with his fears and gain an understanding of what matters in life, 3) a pre-teen comedy featuring school dances and first heartthrobs or 4) a story of an inter-generational friendship in which a wiser, older guys helps his younger buddy shake off the shyness and enjoy life. Any of these variants would have been a good film on its own, but mixing them all ends up causing nothing but frustration…frustration that eventually leads to boredom.
However, the film is not a total waste of time, as scenes (especially the final one) make sense and transmit a message. To the point that I’m am almost ready to believe that if all of the unnecessary “stuffing” put into some scenes was edited out, Chasing Ghosts would make an excellent short film.
Throughout the years, I have always argued that Coming-of-Age is a process that is not necessarily tied to a specific age range. People go through life-changing processes in distinct times of their lives and often come out bruised, changed or liberated as the result of happenings and experiences.
This argument can be brilliantly substantiated by watching Eric Hueber’s 2014 movie Flutter. In it JoLynn (Lindsay Pulsipher), a young mother and her nine-year-old son Jonathan (Johnathan Huth Jr.), struggle to navigate life after the boy’s father departs on a self-discovering journey — leaving them to fend on their own.
Jonathan suffers from glaucoma, which, left untreated, could cause permanent damage to his eyesight. Expensive treatment is not an option, and JoLynn is forced to secretly grow marijuana (illegal in Texas where the action is set) and then mix it in with brownies to help alleviate the higher-than-normal pressure in Jonathan’s eyes.
That is enough to provide a unique twist to the story, but it’s the boy’s pet pig Wee Wee and their joint adventures that most people would find wickedly entertaining. After all, who can resist a piggy rodeo — especially one set in the Cowboy mecca of Texas?
Jonathan and his Mother on a Tandem Bike Ride
Flutter has an indie feel to it — thanks to the subject matter and the way it’s presented — and to the musical score. The latter is accurate because it’s essentially part of the narrative itself, as the music is performed by Jonathan’s father who is more talented as a musician than responsible as a parent. Indeed, parenting (its responsibilities and challenges) is a central theme of the film. The cute scenes with animated sea monsters, representing Jonathan’s fantasy world, nicely contrast the wonder world of childhood with “real life” and its trials.
While the story failed to draw any strong emotions in me, it’s entertaining — unusual for such a gritty narrative. It does an excellent job in portraying the sacrifices (and even mistakes) that parents make for their children’s well being.
The mother-son relationship, while not unique as a motif in this film (see my review of Pure or Beasts of the Southern Wild), is accurately and poignantly portrayed, which is guaranteed to win the film some fans (either mothers or sons or both).
Some years ago, when he was nine-years-old, Jag Bentley (from Sydney, Australia) wrote a song titled Love of My Life, which he performed on piano.
A new version came out on 21-Jan-2014 in which Jag, at 13, performed with three girls (and many spooky background mannequins) — moving to choreography by Bianca Young in the Blackbox Theatre at The McDonald College.
I can’t say I am fond of either the song or the stage routine without shooting myself in the foot. However, it’s a noble effort and Jag asserts himself as a dashing ladies’ man, albeit in juvenile form. Also, it’s his first original.
Social Media Success
Jag is already quite popular on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. He describes himself as “Songwriter, Singer, Actor and Party Person” and seems to be a very active, fun-loving youngster who plays tennis and holidays on the Gold Coast.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not he has the vocal goods, musical ability and charisma to compete with many brilliant Aussie artists roughly his age.
Tracking backwards from the most recent video Internet Love (with Luca M), we get a better idea of who Jag Bentley is and what he’s capable of.
This video and the audio track are more professional, but a reverse “moon-walk” is not exactly innovative. Your Profile’s Perfect And So Are We reveals a big ego in a song about flirting via the chatroom. ”You tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine.” gets to the core of this cutesy video, but is this creative musical art just mundane, puerile chit chat? A thumbs up for the lively visual though. Some freestyle moves and Jag’s voice are good here as is his acting to the “rebel lover” refrains. Fine job by Filigree Films producing this.
http://youtu.be/fKNCcyN5T9E
From September 2014, we see a live version, on a small park platform, of Jag singing We are the Champions. He does a pretty good cover of this famous Freddy Mercury song (QUEEN) considering the high parts are difficult and the stage is miniature.
An EP On Itunes
Jag already has an EP on itunes with four songs that are all about self assertion, teen love and just fun stuff — like the musical skit Transformed Me!
Another original Don’t Tell Me (2013) is a more serious song about determination to succeed. The tune is fine, but Jag’s voice waivers and misses notes here.
On the same theme, Jag entered another original “Champions” (2013) in a contest. It’s about ignoring doubters and confidence in his own ability, sung to a simple hip hop beat with some rap lines thrown in. Again, some notes are off here. In Jag’s words: “it’s about living your dream and overcoming any negativity life throws at you”.
A song I quite like (but for which I can’t establish a date) is Wonder Woman. This has a near techno beat, a very sweet falsetto part and it’s about admiration and infatuation.
Six weeks ago, Jag posted a snippet of Happy Life to his Instagram and I found some of the lyrics seem to define him well. “Let’s go out and let’s party about. I want happy times, I want a happy life. So what do you suppose I do? Rebel and shout and scream?!”
Jag seems to be working on a project for M.A.D. (Mental About Dental) atm, which I believe is a campaign to raise awareness about dental health. See his sites for upcoming videos.
I’m certain that what we’ve seen from Bentley so far (there are of course many earlier vids out) is only a prelude to a more polished performer emerging. There is a lot of creative energy bouncing around in this young artist from Sydney and I hope to see more interesting inventions from him soon. Good Luck!
At theSkyKid.com we are always thankful when one of our readers directs our attention to a talented young performer. That’s how we discovered the Macedonian 14-year-old singer Trajce Georgiev.
Trajce’s talent shone for the very first time on the stage of a television talent contest where his covers of Beyoncé and Bruno Mars`s songs awed jury and audience alike.
Since then he has received invitations to perform alongside the biggest musicians in the Balkans, while Trace’s performances on YouTube are among the five most watched videos of 2014 in his native Macedonia.
Trajce Georgiev – Esta ausencia
http://youtu.be/asQCR3dLPdA
Trajce’s talent is quite versatile as his interpretations impress regardless of the musical style or the language he performs in (I have seen him perform equally flawlessly in his native Macedonian, Serbian, English and Spanish). His favorite singers are Bruno Mars, Tony Cetinski and Zeljko Joksimovic.
In 2014, the talanted young performer won the Discovery of the Year Golden Ladybug in Macedonia.
With the 2014 Discovery of the year Award
Trajce is a modest boy whose favorite hobbies are singing and playing football (soccer for the US readers). He lives in the largest city in the eastern Republic of Macedonia – Strumica.
Due to the western focus on most media, it’s not often we hear of young talent from East Europe and the Balkans. It’s certainly a pleasure, then, to discover and promote such gems as Trajce Georgieve.
As the largest online media that exclusively focuses on Coming-of-Age movies, we have always striven to provide our readers with an opportunity to get to know the filmmakers and actors of the films featured on the site. Today we would like to present for your attention an interview with Reshan Fernando – an aspiring young filmmaker from Paris, France. Many of Reshan’s movies focus on kids and their life stories.
Tell us a little about yourself: name, occupation, current projects, etc.
Hello, My Name is Reshan Fernando, I’m a movie maker, film director, script writer, visual effects supervisor and also owner of Silent Entertainment Productions in Paris. My new music video, about to be released, is called Got U & Peace.
How did you get involved in film?
I came into this industry as an actor when I was 13-years-old. That happened accidentally after one of my father’s friends came to my birthday party. He’s a make-up artist for big productions in Sri Lanka.
After he saw me, he suggested that my father have me try out as an actor for an on-going television drama show. So when my father asked me if I was interested, I told him “Yes, why not! let’s try it.” And my father’s friend told me that the director had explained to him about this new character in the show and it seemed a great match for me.
The next day I went to the casting office with my mom and we met the director and his assistant and they ended up choosing me for the role. I was so happy. I got a bit popular from working on that show and began to be recognized. The drama professor at my school saw it and persuaded me to act in the school’s stage dramas. I learned a lot about acting there.
Reshan Fernando on the set of May 20th
I also got a chance to perform in some folk music shows in Sri Lanka and learned more about the performing arts with them.
After all of this, I thought I wanted to do something bigger and better. So I started to make my own short film. My parents agreed to provide some money to support that. That’s how I did my first short film Pitastharaya in 2006. Later I made Magic Stone in 2007, which made the top 50 short films list in Sri Lanka in 2008.
I wanted to formalize my knowledge of filmmaking by doing some formal training in film Directing, which I did at the International Film School in Paris. As a last project of my studies, I made the short film Dream in 2009. I got the highest mark in the institute and I received a diploma for the program, again, with the highest rank.
I also made the short film May 20th in 2009 with my friends as my crew, telling them what to do & how to do it. They did an amazing job. My father was the producer and my mom also worked on the production. We got well known, popular and very talented actors and we introduced a new child actor. Upon its completion, we sent it to different festivals around the world, and it was an official selection of the International Hollywood Student Film Festival in 2009.
Focus on Childhood
The SkyKid.com has its own unique niche – Coming-of-Age films and stories promoting young talent in Music and the Arts. You also make mainly movies about kids and their life stories. Why children? Why not focus on issues people face in adulthood?
I like to talk about kids life stories in my productions because I think childhood is the most important age of a human’s lifetime. Also, while there are many films being made around the world about adult problems/issues, we don’t see films focusing on childrens issues/challenges as much.
The idea is to have my films talk to adults through kids. They give a message to both kids and adults. Kids don’t have the power to find a solution to their problems alone. Hopefully the messages in my films, shown to adults, parents, and different communities, will make a difference, because kids are our next generation and they’ll be making the decisions as adults about our world in the future.
But my work isn’t only about kids and their life stories. I’m doing other productions through my company as well that are centered on adult themes (i.e. music videos, commercials, events etc.).
Spreading a Message
The theme of your 2009 short film May 20th is quite controversial. Some people take the stance that hardships or mistreatment of children should not be addressed in cinematic productions. What messages do you try to convey to the audience of your films?
Well, I talk about whatever I want to talk about through my films. In my view, there’s no limit with regard to the subjects that can be addressed in today’s filmmaking.
For example, in May 20th the issue is child abuse. Through the story, I’m trying to send a message to parents: Please be careful about stalkers and your kids, where your children go, what’re they’re doing.
Cover Art of the 2009 short film May 20th
At the same time, the message to kids is: try to protect yourself and don’t get attached to strangers. And to the community: this is an issue we all need to be aware of and work to stop.
In Gloomy Boy, I try to talk to all the parents around the world. Please think about your kids before you make a decision about your family. Kids don’t came into this world to see and deal with your problems. They need the parents’ love and protection.
After seeing Gloomy Boy, two families that I know got back together here in France. To me, that means they got the message and that is the best award I could ever get for one of my films. I am happy and proud about that result.
Gloomy Boy
Your short film Gloomy Boy is shot in its entirety with an iPhone? Why did you decide to use such a device – and are there any advantages (or disadvantages) of doing so in comparison with shooting with a standard filmmaking camera?
First of all, I like to call Gloomy Boy a music video because that’s what it is. For every project there’s a pre-production period to make some decisions about the shoot. During that period for Gloomy Boy I decided to shoot it using an iPhone for several reasons. One is that it’s a new trend to shoot with an iPhone, mobile or a GoPro camera, because they are easy to use and handle.
A second reason is that on this shoot we were going to have very little space. As you can see from watching the video, it takes place in a very small place — a kid’s bedroom. Another reason for shooting with an iPhone is that it allows me to move very fast, which lends itself to a music video where you don’t want to have long duration shots. Finally, an iPhone is easy to handle with lights too.
Using such a device could present disadvantages too. It really depends on your project.
The young protagonist of Gloomy Boy
Can you talk about the casting decisions for your films? Where do you find your actors and what do you look for when casting them?
For my films I want to do the casting myself, because I’m the one who’s making the story. So I want to find the exact person from the real world that I imagined in my story. Luckily, I’ve been successful finding the right actors for my previous films and hopefully I will be for future films as well.
When casting, I mainly focus on how the actor looks and if he/she matches how I visualize my characters to look. Then I make a decision as to whether I think the actor has the potential talent to handle the character. If the actor wants to attempt the role, if necessary I’ll provide training.
That’s my method. But I should say this differs from director to director.
What’s next for you as a director? Will you be going behind the camera again with another project anytime soon?
I’m waiting to release my new music video Got U & Peace and after that I’m going back to work on my next short film. The casting for is halfway done and I have to do location scouting as well.
Got You Peace
But happily I’ve found a producer. She is one of my best friends. We’re gonna shoot this summer. It’s gonna be awesome. And then there are other events and projects through my production company as usual.
Is there anything you want to add that we haven’t asked about?
I would like to thank TheSkykid.com, first of all, for giving me this opportunity to talk about my work. It’ll give people the chance to get to know a little bit more about me.
And also I would like to thank my parents, and my brother, who has helped me so much. Thanks also to my friends and everybody else who have supported me.
Please watch my films & other creations and let me know about your comments. May 20th & Gloomy Boy on IMDB are on IMDb so everyone can put a reviews, comments & ratings about them there. I really look forward to reading your opinions.
Favorite Coming-of-Age Films
Let’s finish the interview with a question I always ask filmmakers: As theSkyKid.com mainly focuses on Coming-of-Age films, it would be interesting to know if you have a favorite Coming-of-Age film that you could recommend to the people reading this interview.
There are so many films I really like, many that I’ve discovered through theskykid.com. I look at lots of films in the genre as I do my research before I do my stories & productions.
A few films come immediately to mind.
I like the movie called The 400 Blows. It’s very old but a nice film. The Boyhood movie that came out recently is another. I think it makes movie history because it’s a very long production. I like the story as it’s very realistic.
I love the story in The Tree of Life movie and there’s a Spanish language film called Viva Cuba in whichthe acting of the kids is great. It’s a well made film with a great story.
Finally I love all the Oliver Twist movies, but the last one, which came out 2005 from Director Roman Polanski, is the best for me. I love the way he tells and and presents the story so clearly and the outstanding acting of the young boy.
If you prefer you can watch the entire interview with extra content in below :
Do you remember how much of a difference a few months in the summer made when you were a kid?
The Swedish director Eric Green Petersson will help you recall in his 2010 short film Holger & Vilde. The film features a bitter-sweet story about friendship, growing up, first love and everything in between. Holger and Vilde are best of friends, which makes them inseparable.
When the summer holidays begin, they have to split, but they promise each other they’ll reunite as soon as possible. While on their own, they face different situations and meet new people, so they don’t fully realize how much they have changed during their separation …
The film is a real delight with its bright scenes, soft focus and close-ups of the young protagonists. The nervousness and confusion of youth are immaculately captured on camera to associate with the character and get a real feel for their innocence and tenderness.
Marcus Karlsson in the role of Holger
There are great cinematographic techniques utilized in the film that enhances its appeal, as does the time-lapse photography that adds a sense of magic to the scenes. Gentle guitars characterize the film’s main theme, composed by Bjorn Olsson, bringing a dreamlike atmosphere and melancholic feel.
Best friends: Holger & Vilde ( Marcus Karlsson and Sara Svedberg)
The Coming-of-Age narrative of Holger & Vilde focuses on the beauty of friendships (especially those that can blossom into love), the shaping of one’s self-image, the gap between generations and last, but not least, the peer pressure to which kids (and adults alike) are subjected to at one time or another.
As one might expect from a Scandinavian film, the story is told quite realistically, including happenings in one’s rite-of-passage that movies released in other countries may choose to omit. That, and the parallel character development, increases the film’s appeal to audiences in their teens and pre-teens or to older viewers as a means of recalling their own childhood memories.
Sooner or later we all face situations in which a decision has to be made – and there is never a guarantee that we will make the right one. With a disturbing yet affecting title, Sheena McCann’s independent short film The Darkness is Close Behind tells the story of a teen forced to take responsibility long before he’s ready for it.
Jesse (Samuel Caleb Hunt) and his younger brother Joe (Kai Caster) have a tough life. Living in a house that looks more like a junkyard than a home, they supply their father with ingredients he needs to cook methamphetamine (even if one has seen an episode of the crime TV series Breaking Bad, it’s possible to get confused by what really happens). A problem with the latest batch angers the boys’ father and it becomes Jesse’s responsibility to protect and raise his younger sibling.
Featuring immaculate photography, The Darkness is Close Behind is one of those social dramas that builds up its story and the tension to a harsh and intense finale. It’s a story of failures, maturity and responsibility that won`t leave you indifferent.
“I thank God for sending me someone who changed my life.”
Directed by D.J. Caruso, the 2013 American film Standing up (though I tend to like the working title Goat Island better) features a genuine adventure story of two young kids, Coming-of-Age ala Bonnie and Clyde style.
“…Sometimes popular kids can be fierce. They could bully you into thinking that there is nothing special about you …”
The 12-year-old protagonists of the film Grace (Annalise Basso) and Howie (Chandler Canterbury) find themselves stripped naked and deserted on an island, victims of a tasteless initiation ritual at summer camp. When Grace and Howie meet, they decide to avoid further humiliation and run away together. The kids don’t have a destination in mind; they just want to be themselves and happy without being radicalized or bullied.
Standing Up doesn’t feature the typical “lost in the wilderness” kind of story that normally produces many clichés. This makes the story both original and engaging.
The film shares similar stylistics with other Coming-of-Age films such as Wes Anderson`s Moonrise Kingdom and Brad Isaacs`s 2007 flick Have Dreams, Will Travel. But what sets this film apart is that the journey of self-discovery and empowerment is from the perspective of its two main characters – both individually and jointly — ensuring a genuine portrayal of Coming-of-Age in both girlhood and boyhood (if there is even a difference to be recognized).
Chandler Canterbury as Howie in Standing Up
It`s against the law!What is?Us.
The importance of discovering one’s soulmate – one you can be mischievous with, get in and out trouble with and yet can always rely on — is an essential element of the film’s story. Friendship, even sparks of the first love between a boy and a girl, are often part of the growing-up experience.
Although Standing Up doesn’t relate to the intensity of youthful love as much as the 1993 Belgian film, The World of Ludovic (De wereld van Ludovic), the sentimentality and intimacy between Grace and Howie is depicted in a poignant and heartwarming manner that won’t leave any viewer indifferent.
Chandler Canterbury and Annalise Basso
Both Annalise Basso and Chandler Canterbury are outstanding in their respective roles. The chemistry between the young actors shows a successful casting process while giving the film an authentic appeal. The masterful direction and camerawork further enhance their performances. The latter often puts the young actors’ expressive faces in focus, allowing the viewer to see and experience their emotions.
Cinematographically, the movie stands out with warm glowing colours that give a really nostalgic feel to the film. Though the story is set back in the 80s, kids and adults of today will have no problem associating with the young heroes searching for acceptance and happiness.
Based on Brock Cole‘s award-winning young adult novel The Goats, Standing Up is one of the best Coming-of-Age movies I have had the pleasure to watch and review. In my opinion, it did not get the attention it deserved upon its release, but I urge you to seek it out. It’s entertaining and inspiring – teaching (as most rite-of-passage films do) important lessons about life without being preachy.
World War II has come to an end, but for thousands of orphaned kids, the nightmare didn’t end. German kids stuck in Lithuania had just one goal – to survive. Rick Ostermann’s 2013 film Wolf Children (original title: Wolfskinder) tells the story of two such kids: 14-year-old Hans (Levin Liam) and his younger brother Fritzchen (Patrick Lorenczat).
The final wish of their dying mother sends the boys on a harsh journey through a foreign land in the hope of reaching a settlement of farmers who offer help and shelter to German children. Under the constant threat of soldiers from the Red Army, the brothers battle hunger and exhaustion hoping to stay together and follow the instructions of their deceased mother.
As hard as he tries, Hans fails to protect his younger brother and the boys are forced to separate after a lethal encounter with soldiers. Not knowing if Fritzchen is alive or dead, Hans decides to keep moving on to the refugee camp, praying that his brother is still alive and they can be reunited there. He meets other children whose fates are as equally tragic as his own on his journey.
Hans (Levin Liam) calms a young boy
Rick Ostermann has succeeded in creating a film that grasps a hold of the viewer’s emotions and attention and doesn’t them go until the final credits roll and even after that. That is achieved by a unique mixture of visual storytelling – emphasizing the young protagonists’ facial expressions and overall first-class cinematography.
Shooting on location displays the beauty of nature while turning the desolate forests and meadows into yet another character of the film. By artistically juxtaposing the tiny silhouettes of the wandering kids and the vast landscapes – the cinematographer accentuated the characters’ vulnerability.
On the road in Wolf Children
The camera allowed for natural glares and light imperfection that further boosted the credibility of the picture. Hand-held camera techniques are only sparingly used, which achieved the goal of conveying a first-person take on the events without being an annoyance. The soundtrack doesn’t call attention to itself, but it effectively makes the already intense scenes even more powerful.
Some of the events in the film may shock viewers, others will leave them in tears, but undoubtedly they will get involved with the fates of Hans, his brother, and the other children throughout the movie.
Scene from Wolf Children
Although Wolf Children focuses on the aftermath of the war, it’s as heart-wrenching to watch as Elem Klimov’s 1985 masterpiece Come and See (Idi i smotri). The constant peril in which the young protagonists live obliges them to make choices, with more than just their innocence at stake. It doesn’t matter if we witness the trauma in the eyes of a Russian or a German kid – and the fact that the two films feature stories with distinct nationalities that opposed each other in the war only proves that, in war, there are no winners.
I am genuinely impressed with the film’s quality and don’t hesitate to recommend the movie to every fan of the Coming-of-Age genre. Despite the disturbing nature of some scenes, the film is a must-see, and audiences of all ages will appreciate the story – brought to life by great actors and first-class filmmaking.
Dutch filmmakers are known for addressing life matters in an original and poignant way. A prime example is the 2014 children’s film Life According to Nino, directed by Simone van Dusseldorp.
The movie opens with an almost utopian portrayal of family harmony and happiness. The narrative begins on the birthday of the film’s lead protagonist, eight-year-old Nino (Rohan Timmermans). Nino receives, as a gift — not the dog that he had wished for — but a rabbit. His disappointment is short-lived, however, and Bobby (the newly arrived rabbit’s name) is ready to join the happy family. This cheerful opening scene, which is typical in children’s films, didn’t fool me. My experience in the genre led me to believe that something was about to happen … and I was right.
Catastrophe, with Nino’s mother the victim of it, and suddenly the boy’s whole world is turned upside-down. The inconsolable father (Koen De Graeve) isn’t capable of dealing with his grief at the loss of his wife and takes refuge behind calming pills. Nino and his teenaged brother Lucas (played by Arend Bouwmeester) are left to deal with life on their own. Both cease going to school and, while Nino spends his days mostly in the company of his pet rabbit at home, Lucas gets into all kinds of mischief with his friends.
And now the story line takes an unexpected twist — Nino discovers an unusual ability: he is able to understand the language of animals and they also seem to understand him. This new found ability eases his loneliness and he bonds even more with Bobby who turns out to be quite an opinionated rabbit.
Nino ((Rohan Timmermans) ) and his best friend Bobby
Eventually the social services take interest in Nino`s family – worried that the boys are suffering from the neglect of their remaining parent. Foster care is mentioned and with it the “threat of separation” forces the family to take hold of their lives.
Life According to Nino is surprisingly funny at times, especially when one considers the serious issue on which the film is focused. The fact that the story is told from a child’s perspective is what gives it an appeal to audiences of all ages – but children especially will enjoy the scenes with talking animals and fun rabbit escapades. Naturally older viewers will catch the meaning behind this surrealistic portrayal of child’s imagination and equally enjoy the cleverness of the director’s approach.
Rohan Timmermans
The story is funny without being silly and serious without being boring, which combines with the excellent acting of young Rohan Timmermans (who, while being a novice actor, really shines in the film and does a great job embodying his character). Of course, in addition to his cuteness, one must also recognize the important role of the adorable Bobby – who delivers more than a credible performance – for a rabbit!
The comedian W.C. Fields once said, “Never work with children or animals.”, yet Simone van Dusseldorp proves in this film that working with both can result in an intriguing way to tell a story.
Life According to Nino won the award for Best International Children’s Film at Cinekid 2014 in Amsterdam and has since been made available on DVD and on iTunes, Goggle Play and other on-demand channels.
A moving, cool account of a searing, terrifying childhood
Wartime heroism takes many forms. Survival, honorably achieved, is the basis of this memoir of one young boy’s victory over the unimaginable cruelties, the starvation and brutality of the Nazi concentration camps.
It’s a story told coolly, without a trace of self-pity, long after the terrible events; told objectively, effectively so, with few adjectives and minimal sentiment, in a straight-forward style that adds to the raw power of the narrative. It simply recounts the dreadful conditions and circumstances the young survivor found himself facing.
I suspect most readers will feel it is more than simple luck, as the title modestly suggests, that allowed one small boy to outlast countless others who suffered and died under the same terrifying circumstances.
Good fortune had its part, no doubt. But so very few young children survived the Nazis’ mass murder of Jewish families (and other targeted groups) that it becomes clear how a combination of factors, including a sharp natural intelligence, precocious courage, and perhaps a physical robustness, also played their part in preserving the life of this amazing boy. And the world can be thankful that it was preserved to become an adult life of real significance and positive contribution to the human condition, on a global level. Because this “lucky child” lived on, eventually working to alleviate human suffering as an important jurist in the international courts of human rights.
After liberation, surviving children of the Auschwitz camp walk out of the children’s barracks. Poland, January 27, 1945
It’s a true story, one that should be told in schools, a story to be read by anyone who strives to understand that strange dichotomy between the conflicting capacities for humans to do evil and to do good. The book also illustrates how some may capitulate or succumb to terrible treatment (often through no lack of moral strength, it must be said) while others may display an indomitability and resourcefulness that refuses to let go of life and hope.
The photo of the young Thomas on the book’s cover, taken shortly after his liberation from the horror of the camps, says much: still appearing somewhat shell-shocked from the deaths, the murders and depravities he witnessed, while at the same time projecting a searing intelligence and determination.
I would be honored to have known this boy, and this man, Thomas Buergenthal.
At some point during one’s growing up, things start to get confusing. The opposite sex stops being described by “Yuck” and one develops an interest in his/her own body and some of its, to that point, latent functions. You realize that all of your peers know things that you don’t – and keeping up with all those changes becomes a challenge of its own.
Tell us a little about yourself: name, occupation, current projects, etc.
Hello, My Name is Reshan Fernando, I’m a movie maker, film director, script writer, visual effects supervisor and also owner of 
Do you remember how much of a difference a few months in the summer made when you were a kid?
Directed by D.J. Caruso, the 2013 American film Standing up (though I tend to like the working title Goat Island better) features a genuine adventure story of two young kids, Coming-of-Age ala Bonnie and Clyde style.
World War II has come to an end, but for thousands of orphaned kids, the nightmare didn’t end. German kids stuck in Lithuania had just one goal – to survive. Rick Ostermann’s 2013 film Wolf Children (original title: Wolfskinder) tells the story of two such kids: 14-year-old Hans (Levin Liam) and his younger brother Fritzchen (Patrick Lorenczat).
Dutch filmmakers are known for addressing life matters in an original and poignant way. A prime example is the 2014 children’s film Life According to Nino, directed by Simone van Dusseldorp. 
