Since 2019, the younger generation has also been specifically addressed – with its own youth track called YAAAS!.
YAAAS! school performances
Pupils of the HBLA for artistic design Linz made this year’s film selection for young people and chose the three best out of seven European feature films. They also take over the film talks with the film guests present and take care of the workshops.
And here they are, the three best feature filmswhich deal with the realities of life of young Europeans:
Wednesday, April 26 at 10:15 am
THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT / DER GYMNASIAST (FR 2022, 123 min, French with German subtitles)
Lucas is unexpectedly picked up from boarding school and receives devastating news: his father lost control of his car and died instantly. The 17-year-old first tries to deal with the loss at home with his family and then accompanies his older brother Quentin to Paris to live with him and his roommate Lilio for a few weeks. There, Lucas tries to deal with the grief in his own way, until everything finally escalates.
Topics: Coming of Age | loss | death | family | Identity Search | sexuality
Website and trailer
Thursday, April 27 at 10:15 am
FRANKY FIVE STAR (DE 2023, 114 min, German with English subtitles)
Franky works in a liquor store and shares a flat with her friend Katja. When she needs a break from her life, she disappears into an old, run-down hotel that exists in her mind. Then one of the hotel residents, Ms. Franke, Frank, Ella or Lenny, climbs into the hotel elevator and takes command of Franky’s actions, with sometimes unforeseeable consequences. The appearance of Katja’s friend Hasi doesn’t make things easier either.
Topics: Identity Search | Personal Development | growing up | love | relationship | Surrealism | friendship | fantasy | self-determination
School material for the film
Website and trailer
Friday, April 28 at 10:15 am
ELAHA (DE 2023, 110 min, German/Kurdish with English subtitles)
Elaha is 22, German-Kurd, and is due to get married in a few weeks. That she has to do this as a virgin is an inviolable law for her parents, parents-in-law and her fiancé. But it’s too late for that, and because Elaha doesn’t want to bring shame on herself and her family, surgical hymen reconstruction seems to be the only, albeit costly, option. In her diploma film, Milena Aboyan succeeds in telling a story that is as authentic as it is complex, far removed from clichés, about the urge for self-empowerment in the corset of patriarchal heteronomy.
Topics: Coming of Age | Self-determination | female self-empowerment | patriarchy | religious fundamentalism | Generation conflict | sexuality
School material for the film
site and trailer
Registration and entry
The Admission for young people amounts to 5,50 € (2 accompanying persons per group free). Registrations to the school performances are up to and including 21. April 2023 possible at yaaas(at)crossingeurope.at.
From the seven films is also from the YAY! youth jury a movie with that CROSSING EUROPE AWARD – YAAAS! awarded, which is endowed with prize money of 3,000 €. This year’s youth jury (five young people interested in film are selected every year) comes from the VSG Training Fit FACTORY – a barrier-free offer for young people and young adults who have some catching up to do in terms of social, personal and school skills before starting vocational training or further school education.
YAAAS! Youth Rail – Say YAAAS!