Young Hearts
2024 · Directed by Anthony Schatteman
Original language: Dutch
- drama
- romance
The story
14-year-old Elias increasingly feels like an outsider in his village. When he meets his new neighbour of the same age, Alexander, Elias is confronted with his burgeoning sexuality.
What it’s like
Quiet, naturalistic rural light: flat fields, hedgerows and pale skies, filmed with a restrained camera that stays close on faces and lets long pauses breathe. Sound is mostly ambient village life (wind through grass, bicycle wheels, muffled household noise), with music used sparingly so feelings arrive through silence. The palette is soft and muted, warmer in rooms and late afternoons, colder where families and classmates press in. The vibe is tender, watchful and quietly aching, well suited to a slow weekend afternoon or a late night alone. Pacing is unhurried, with scenes lingering on small gestures and awkward silences as a young boy who feels out of step with his surroundings begins to recognise a new longing. Intensity is low: no violence or gore, and the discomfort is social and emotional, with teasing and fear of being seen rather than cruelty on screen. Intimacy is implied rather than explicit. Made for viewers who want honest, gentle queer coming-of-age stories about first love, friendship and the fear of being different, and who prefer restraint to spectacle.
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