Block: Small and Big Troubles

Films in block: "Girl Against Gravity", "Lenno the Anglefish", "The Listen".

Girl Against Gravity
Erdenchimeg (11) has her mind set on becoming a famous contortionist - a specialty of Mongolian acrobats. Her team at the circus school is invited to become part of a prestigious show on the parliament square. "Kids on the Silk Road" is a series of five documentaries for children about their peers living in the ancient Silk Road countries in Central and South East Asia.  

​Lenno the Angelfish
A slice-of-life film, partly told through the eyes of a anglesfish, about Lenno a 10-year old boy who has a behavior disorder and goes to a school for troubled kids. The anglefish is known for it’s aggressive behavior. But under the right circumstances it can grow up to be a kind animal that lives in harmony with other fish in an aquarium. While Lenno tries his best to behave and be ‘a good boy’, we see how the anglefish fares in his new home. Meanwhile Lenno learns is quitte hard being good. And what do good or bad really mean when your brother sometimes hites you and your father has regrets about the way he has lead his life? Will Lenno find out how to behave like an angel and will the angelfish survive the care given by Lenno? Life is complex and maybe there is more than only black and white.

The Listen
Life can seem pretty overwhelming at times, particularly when you're growing up. And it’s not always easy to talk to your parents or friends about your problems. Fortunately, the "Kindertelefoon" (Child Helpline) in the Netherlands provides a listening ear. L I S T E N presents a cross-section of conversations between children and the Kindertelefoon. One girl talks about being home alone virtually all week; another's sad because her parents are getting divorced. A boy in an asylum seekers' center is worried about the future, while another boy doesn’t want to be gay and hopes these feelings will pass. Every day, the Kindertelefoon takes calls like these from children who want someone to talk to. But children also call to talk about their pets, to practice their audition for The Voice Kids or to make pranks. The recordings of these phone conversations are accompanied by images that quite literally give color to the conversations, and that beautifully reflect their tone—sometimes hilarious or naughty, but more often sad or heartrending.