Jury report: 2022 IDFA Competition for Youth Documentary
Jury statement
The diverse selection of the Competition for Youth Documentary at the 35th edition of IDFA impressed us with a multitude of perspectives that present the next generation as active agents determined to improve their lives and that of those around them.
We applaud the filmmakers for taking their audience seriously regardless of their age, resulting in 14 impactful stories that go beyond stereotypes and break the dominant narratives. Their elegant cinematic language forms connections between humans and nonhumans, and reconsiders our position in the world, constantly questioning identities.
Our special mention goes to a film that does this wonderfully.
Special Mention
We decided to award the Special Mention in the IDFA Competition for Youth Documentary to a film that invites us to adopt another perspective on home and identity, employing a light-hearted and tender approach while emphasizing the agency of the young protagonist and making sure we hear their voice and see the world in the way they do. The award goes to Jasmin’s Two Homes by Inka Achté and Hanna Karppinen.
IDFA Award for Best Youth Film: 9-13
The IDFA Award for Best Youth Film focused on audiences aged 9 to 13 years old goes to a story of growth amid nature and animals. The young protagonist honors family tradition while pursuing dreams and humbly navigating the world in search of their own identity. The astonishing cinematic language and composition of both sound and image allow the story to offer us a lesson on being truthful to ourselves and our heritage. The award goes to Ramboy by Matthias Joulaud and Lucien Roux.
IDFA Award for Best Youth Film: 14+
Because of its multilayered narrative, catchy rhythm, and its love for details, this film is able to touch us and provide us with new insights every time we watch it. The delicate balance between the political and the personal, and its sensitive take on home, displacement, and activism, turn complex ideas into an accessible film for all ages. The film mirrors its questions and invites us to be more than simply observers, encouraging us to start conversations about injustice, change, and our position in the world. The IDFA Award for Best Youth Film focused on audiences aged 14+ goes to Home Is Somewhere Else by Carlos Hagerman and Jorge Villalobos.