Youth Jury: Young perspectives on reality
The youth jury comprising 29 ninth-grade students from the Juri Gagarin Secondary School in Fürstenwalde met from June 29 to July 3, 2026, at the Filmtheater Union Fürstenwalde, a new partner cinema of the festival and one of the oldest continuously operating cinemas in Germany. Over five intense days, the jurors viewed international films, discussed content and cinematic forms, and selected
DJ AHMET (North Macedonia, 2025) and SUNNY DANCER (United Kingdom, 2026). DJ AHMET combines a fairytale storytelling style with documentary-like closeness: shot with amateur actors and in original locations, the film tells of the living reality of young people caught between tradition and modernity. SUNNY DANCER depicts adolescent cancer beyond common stereotypes. Prominently cast, featuring Bella Ramsey among others, and characterized by a moving camera, it creates an immediate picture of friendship, physicality, and spontaneity.
The Youth Jury will present both films on September 4, 2026, at the school cinema. The program is complemented by "Ready for the School Cinema," which prepares audiences for the films through workshops and post-screening discussions; interested teachers can request teaching materials directly.
Film Projects: How Reality is Created
How reality is created is shown by the documentary film Binary Wind Machine. It accompanies the construction of a modern Baroque-style organ in the Lehnin Abbey Church and the involvement of young people from the region. Through conversations with experts and practical insights, the participants learn how traditional craftsmanship and the principle of binary logic—based on two states like open and closed, on and off—remain effective today. The organ thus becomes a symbol of a reality that emerges from knowledge, practice, and transmission. Some of the young people become mediators themselves and pass on their knowledge. The film makes it clear: reality is not a rigid structure, but is created through action and storytelling. A short version of the documentary will premiere at the festival in September.
Encounters projects: Reality transcends borders
Beyond the festival as well, the team Anna Faroqhi and Haim Peretz works on year-round projects with young people from the region and beyond. The focus is on media education and political education. The goal is to empower young people to engage in a reflective use of media and to strengthen democratic participation.
Initial encounter formats focusing on dialogue and extremism prevention are planned for the fall in Lieberose.
The youth projects also create new encounters and perspectives. Films from the youth program have already been shown internationally, including in London, Paris, Helsinki, Mexico City, and Los Angeles.
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