King of The Hill
From acclaimed writer/ director Steven Soderbergh (Ocean´s Eleven), comes a heart-warming portrait of a 12-year-old Aaron Kurlander, who uses his wit and fearless sense of adventure to survive in Depression-era St. Louis.
In his fantasies, Aaron is an advisor to pilot Charles Lindbergh, but his fortunes are actually in rapid descent. He remains undaunted, devising ill-fated money-making schemes, and inventing glamorous identities for his parents.
But things take a dive as his family begins to fall apart. Left alone, he begins the practical business of staying alive, putting his family back together, and forging his own identity as “King of the Hill”.
This rarest of gems that celebrates the triumph of a young man whose spirit, love, and will to survive are far stronger than any obstacle fate can throw into his path.
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Jesse Bradford (Aaron Kurlander)
Year: 1993
Country of origin: USA
To my readers
Hello everyone! As you perhaps have noted, there have been some changes and updates recently. Please leave comments here if you have any suggestions how to make this an even better blog about coming-of-age films. My main criteria are that it should be informative, correct, and interesting. It is not commercial. Pictures should be representative, but not spoiling, and still interesting. I leave this blogpost open for comments until sunday July 20th.
From “Mysterious skin”.
From “Au revoir les enfants”.
Young Törless
At an Austrian boy´s boarding school i the early 1900s, shy, intelligent Törless observes the sadistic behaviour of his fellow student´s, doing nothing to help a victimized classmate- until the torture goes too far. Adapted from Robert Musil´s acclaimed novel, “Young Törless” helped launch the new German cinema movement and garnered the 1966 Cannes Film Festival International Critics´Prize for first-time director Volker Schlöndorff.
Director: Volker Schlöndorff
Cast: Mathieu Carrière (Thomas Törless)
Year: 1966
Country of origin: Germany
The 400 Blows (Le quatre cents coups)
Francois Truffaut´s first feature is also his most personal. Told through the eyes of Truffaut´s cinematic counterpart, Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud), The 400 Blows sensitively re-creates the trials of Truffaut´s own difficult childhood, unsentimentally portraying aloof parents, oppressive teachers, and petty crime. The film marks Truffaut´s passage from leading critic of the French new wave to his emergence as one of Europe´s most brilliant auteurs.
Director: Francois Truffaut
Cast: Jean-Pierre Léaud (Antoine Doinel)
Year: 1959
Country of origin: France
The Red Balloon
Newly restored an available for the first time on DVD, Albert Lamorisse´s exquisite “The Red Balloon” remains one of the most beloved children´s films of all time. In this deceptively simple, nearly wordless tale, a youn boy discovers a stray balloon on the streets of Paris that seems to have a mind of its own. The two become inseparable, yet the world´s harsh realities finally interfere.
With its glorious palette and allegorical purity, the Academy Award-winning “The Red Balloon” has enchanted movie lovers, young and old, for generations.
Director: Albert Lamorisse
Cast: Pascal Lamorisse (Pascal the boy)
Year: 1956
Country of origin: France
Award Films
When Everyone Knows 1995
Young Hearts, Broken Dreams, Episode 2: The search 1995
Iki Haole: Nico´s Hawaiian Adventure 1995
Acla´s Descent Into Floristella 1992
Gossenkind 1992
Tom And Lola 1990
Moon Child 1989
Lessons At The End of Spring 1989
Clay Farmers 1988
Forbidden Beach 1985
The Annunciation 1984
On Your Own 1984
Dear Boys 1980
We Were One Man 1979
Ernesto 1979
You Are Not Alone 1978
Hidden Pleasures 1977
Robby
Two, young boys shipwrecked on a deserted tropical island. A modern Robinson Crusoe legend of friendship and survival. Boys and nature untouched, unspoiled and uninhibited. This lost classic rediscovered is a heartwarming masterpiece and one of the most unusual family films to come along in decades.
Director: Ralph C. Bluemke
Cast:
-Warren Raum (Robby)
-Ryp Siani (Friday)
Year: 1968
Country of origin: USA
Koktebel
Following the death of his wife and loss of his job, a Russian engineer sets off from Moscow with his 11 year old son for his sister´s house, in the Black Sea resort of Koktebel. With no money or means of transport, they drift through Russia´s expansive and mesmerising landscape at the mercy of chance. For the father, the journey is an attempt to restore self respect, piece together his broken life and win back the trust of his son. For the boy, the mythical coastal town holds the key to a new life and emancipation. Boris Khlebnikov and Alexei Popogrebsky´s critically acclaimed, award-winning road movie is a wonderfully acted, delicately observed and beautifully shot drama that has been favourably compared to the work of directors such as Terrence Malick, Andrei Tarkovsky and Francois Truffaut.
Directors:
-Boris Khlebnikov
-Alexei Popogrebsky
Cast:
-Gleb Puskepalis (the son)
-Igor Csernyevics (the father)
Year: 2003
Land of origin: Russia
Distributor: Artificial Eye
Oliver Twist
Charles Dickens´immortal classical tale about the young, orphan Oliver Twist in the nineteenth century of London is here truly come alive by the director and former Oscar-winner Roman Polanski.
Oliver Twist escapes from an orphanage in the countryside and heads for London. Here he soon finds a temporary resort at the criminal Fagin- the leader of a gang of young pickpockets who work in the streets of London.
This fascinating story about the orphan Oliver Twist is among the most read books in the world and has been filmed many times.
This version from 2005, with the former Oscar-winner Sir Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) and the very talented and charming 11-year old Barney Clark, who plays Oliver, make this film one of the very best.
This film got a nomination at Young Artist Awards in 2006.
There is also the black & white version of 1948.
Punish Me (orig.title:Verfolgt)
Upon release from jail, Jan (Kostja Ullmann) becomes the newest charge of a much older parole officer, Elsa (Maren Kroymann). The young man seeks to provoke her- to shake her from her routine, and he succeeds by drawing the woman bit by bit into an intoxicating, sadomasochistic affair. But when reality breaches the ethical vacuum in which their relationship exists, everything in their lives will abruptly change.
Awards:
-Golden Leopard Award at the Locarno Film Festival in 2006.
-New Faces Award at New Faces Awards, Germany, in 2007.
-German Film Critics Award at German Film Critics Association Awards in 2008.
