Teenage Archives - Directors Notes

A High Schooler Has an Unusual Request for His Classmate in Christian Meola’s Drama ‘The Expanding Horizon’

Christian Meola opens up about discovering new narrative territory and a widely diverse range of responses to his emotionally intense coming of age drama.

Live Action, Premiere

Jerome Yoo Encapsulates the Chaotic Abandon of Self-Centred Youth in Fantastical Short ‘River Boy Blues’

Jerome Yoo talks about adopting handheld camera work to express the freedom and abandon of his teenage protagonists on a mission to relocate a significant pet.

Live Action

Kali Kahn Captures the Nuance of a Girl Growing Into a Woman in Her Coming of Age Short ‘Father’s

Kali Kahn breaks down the technical choices that informed the subtly maturing awareness of the teenage girl at the centre of her poolside drama.

Live Action

Vincent René-Lortie’s Oscar Short ‘Invincible’ Tenderly Depicts the Duality of a Troubled Teen’s Mental Health Crisis

A deeply personal film years in the making, Vincent René-Lortie details the intimate approach needed to bring the true story of his troubled friend to screen.

Live Action

Christian Avilés ‘Daydreaming So Vividly About Our Spanish Holidays’ Elegantly Captures the Tragic Spirit of Brits Abroad

Christian Avilés discusses his use of sun-dappled 16mm images and the mixture of documentary and magic realism to depict the tragic Balconing phenomenon.

Live Action, Premiere

Hilary Eden Immerses Us in the Fervently Charged World of a Y2K Teenager in Nostalgic Short ‘Bellybutton’

Hilary Eden speaks to DN about the power she found in the specificity of her storytelling for her evocative coming-of-age portrait of adolescent girlhood.

Film Festival, Live Action

Eivind Landsvik’s Cannes Palme d’Or Short ‘TITS’ Shares an Achingly Honest Portrayal of Teenage Insecurities

Eivind Landsvik details the key scenes from his tender Cannes selected coming of age drama short which could only be captured on 16mm film.

Live Action, Premiere

Will Kenning Offers a Fresh Perspective on the Horrors of County Lines Drug Gangs in Dance Drama ‘Tap Boy’

Will Kenning chats to DN about combining the world of tap with the grim reality of exploitation perpetrated by drug gangs for his compelling drama short.

Live Action

Kathy Mitrani Captures the Excitement and Turmoil of Peer Pressure in Evocative 16mm Short ‘Buzzkill’

Kathy Mitrani reveals the creativity that came from embracing a lack of structure for her authentic exploration of the stakes of youthful pressure.

Live Action, Music

Waley Wang’s ‘Teen Troubles in Dirty Jersey’ Captures the Thrums of Punk, Toxic Masculinity & Disaffected Angst

Waley Wang discusses combining 16mm & Hi8 home video style footage to fully embody the nostalgic memories of The Black Skirts' New Jersey punk roots.

Live Action, Premiere

A Teenage Boy Struggles With the Shame of Victimhood After a Brutal Attack in Toby Wharton’s Drama Short ‘Held’

We speak to Toby Wharton about the invisible camera work he employed to truly capture the raw emotions in his perturbing exploration of victimhood.

Live Action, Premiere

A Black Student’s Revelation Leads to Uncomfortable Repercussions in Chinwe Okorie’s Drama Short ‘Elephant’

Chinwe Okorie tells DN how she mined a darkly comedic childhood memory for her short drama about a tense encounter for a girl at her new school.

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