Kind Hearts, a Belgian documentary from directors Olivia Rochette and Gerard-Jan Claes and Skhema, a feature from Kazakhstan directed by Farkhat Sharipov, have jointly won the 2022 Berlin Film Festival’s Crystal Bear for best film in Berlin’s Generation 14plus section for youth films.
Kind Hearts follows a young Brussels couple, Billie and Lucas, who have been boyfriend and girlfriend since fourth grade, now facing the challenge of both leaving for university. Skhema is a coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of the newly-rich city of Almaty, where Kazakhstan’s oil wealth is transforming traditional society.
Blue Noise from director Simon Maria Kubiena and Australian feature Tinashé from director Tig Terera both received a special mention from the Generation 14plus international jury.
The youth jury for the section, made up of teen film fans, gave their Crystal Bear best film honor to Alis from directors Clare Weiskopf and Nicolas van Hemelryck. Stay Awake, Jamie Sisley’s crowd-pleasing dramedy about a family dealing with drug addiction, received a special mention from the youth jury.
In the Generation Kplus section for children’s films, Colm Bairéad’s Irish drama The Quiet Girl took best film honors from the international jury and a special mention from the section’s children’s jury. The international jury gave a special mention to Shamira Raphaëla’s Dutch feature Shabu.
The children’s jury picked the Swedish feature Comedy Queen from director Sanna Lenken as its Crystal Bear best film winner.
