The eight films selected for this year’s International Feature Competition offer thoughtful and deeply affecting portraits of the inner worlds of children and adolescents. <Their Town>, which premiered at SXSW, <Wild Foxes>, screened in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes, <En Route To>, selected for Berlinale Generation 14plus, and <The Accordion Door>, invited to the Vision section at the Busan International Film Festival, follow young protagonists navigating the emotional turbulence brought on by life-changing moments. <Ish>, presented at Venice Critics’ Week, <Gugu's World>, winner of the Crystal Bear in the Generation section at the Berlin International Film Festival, and <Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake> from the Annecy International Animation Film Festival Competition portray the courageous journeys of young protagonists who, despite the emotional scars left by unjust social systems, gradually discover their own paths forward. Serving as both the festival's opening film and a competition title, is a heartwarming family adventure that celebrates the bonds of family, the friendship between a child and animals, and the breathtaking landscapes of South Africa. We invite audiences to take this opportunity to discover how contemporary world cinema reflects the lives, emotions, and realities of children and young people today.
