Topic: Childhood

Direction Ingmar Bergman

Cast Bertil Guve · Pernilla Allwin · Gunn Wållgren · Ewa Fröling

Synopsis Fanny and Alexander (TV Miniseries) (1983) is a captivating 4-episode television series set in 1907 Uppsala, Sweden. The narrative revolves around the lives of siblings Alexander and Fanny, who belong to the affluent Ekdahl family. Their parents, both deeply involved...

Direction Robert Mulligan

Cast Gregory Peck · Mary Badham · Brock Peters · Phillip Alford

Synopsis To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) follows the story of attorney Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), who takes on the defense of Tom Robinson (Brock Peters), a Black man falsely accused of assaulting a white woman. The deeply prejudiced residents of their...

Direction Luis Buñuel

Cast Alfonso Mejía · Roberto Cobo · Estela Inda · Miguel Inclán

Synopsis The Young and the Damned (1950) follows the story of El Jaibo, a young man who flees from a correctional facility and reunites with his friends in their local community. Shortly after his escape, El Jaibo, accompanied by his friend...

Direction Satyajit Ray

Cast Kanu Bannerjee · Karuna Bannerjee · Pinaki Sengupta · Smaran Ghosal

Synopsis Aparajito (The Unvanquished) (1956) continues the narrative of Satyajit Ray's acclaimed trilogy, following the journey of Apu and his family as they relocate to the bustling city. The film delves into the vibrant urban landscape, presenting a rich tapestry of...

Direction Émilie Tronche

Cast Émilie Tronche

Synopsis Samuel (2024) delves into the poignant journey of youth, centering around Samuel and his companions. The series masterfully combines moments of deep reflection, lighthearted humor, and a nostalgic soundtrack to create a rich tapestry of teenage experiences.

Direction Govindan Aravindan

Cast Master Ashokan · Sivasankaran Divakaran · Kothara Gopalkrishnan · Ramunni

Synopsis The Bogeyman (1979) delves into the captivating world of Kerala's devotional folklore, focusing on the legendary Kummatty. This vibrant, mythical character roams the villages during the festive season of Onam, the harvest festival, bringing a mix of fear and excitement...

Direction Satyajit Ray

Cast Kanu Bannerjee · Karuna Bannerjee · Uma Das Gupta · Subir Bannerjee

Synopsis Pather Panchali (1955) unfolds the tale of a Bengali household beset by misfortune. The patriarch, Harihara, serves as a humble clerk, healer, dreamer, and poet. His wife, Sabajaya, toils to sustain the family and welcomes the arrival of their son,...

Direction Victor Fleming

Cast Spencer Tracy · Freddie Bartholomew · Lionel Barrymore · Melvyn Douglas

Synopsis Captains Courageous (1937) follows the journey of Harvey Cheyne (Freddie Bartholomew), a privileged and indulged 12-year-old who finds himself in a life-altering situation after tumbling overboard during a transatlantic voyage. When he awakens on a Gloucester fishing vessel, the captain...

Direction Charles Laughton

Cast Robert Mitchum · Billy Chapin · Sally Ann Bruce · Shelley Winters

Synopsis The Night of the Hunter (1955) follows a sinister preacher, portrayed by Robert Mitchum, who is driven by an obsessive quest to track down two young siblings, played by Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce, during the Great Depression. The...

Direction Isao Takahata

Synopsis Grave of the Fireflies (1988) follows the harrowing journey of a 14-year-old Japanese boy named Seita and his 4-year-old sister, Setsuko, as they navigate the horrors of World War II. After their home in Kobe is destroyed and their parents...

Direction Roberto Rossellini

Cast Edmund Moeschke · Ernst Pittschau · Barbara Hintz · Franz-Otto Krüger

Synopsis Germany, Year Zero (1948) follows the story of Edmund, a young boy navigating the ruins of post-World War II Germany. Struggling to support his family, Edmund engages in various tasks and schemes to secure food and ensure their survival. His...

Direction Vittorio De Sica

Cast Franco Interlenghi · Rinaldo Smordoni · Annielo Mele · Bruno Ortenzi

Synopsis Shoeshine (Shoe-Shine) (1946) is set in post-WWII Rome, where two young shoeshine boys, Pasquale and Giuseppe, dream of owning a horse after watching races near the Italian capital. Pasquale, an orphan, and his younger companion Giuseppe, encounter Attilio, Giuseppe's older...

Direction Shinji Sômai

Cast Tomoko Tabata · Shinobu Chihara · Kiichi Nakai · Junko Sakurada

Synopsis Moving (1993) follows the journey of Renko, a young girl navigating the challenges of her parents' recent divorce. As her father relocates, Renko must learn to cope with the changes in her family dynamics and adjust to a new lifestyle.

Direction Yasujirō Ozu

Cast Tatsuo Saito · Mitsuko Yoshikawa · Hideo Sugawara · Takeshi Sakamoto

Synopsis I Was Born, But... (Children of Tokyo) (1932) is set in the 1930s and follows a humble middle-class family who has recently relocated to the outskirts of Tokyo. The family consists of a father (Tatsuo Saito), a mother (Mitsuko Yoshikawa),...

Direction Hiroshi Shimizu

Cast Gosho Shoichi · Shinichiro Kubota · Natuski Masako · Yoshikatsu Chiba

Synopsis Children of the Beehive (1948) centers around the struggles of ten young war orphans from various cities in Japan. Left to fend for themselves, they roam train stations, eking out a living through illicit black market activities under the guidance...

Direction Ingmar Bergman

Cast Bertil Guve · Pernilla Allwin · Gunn Wållgren · Ewa Fröling

Synopsis Fanny & Alexander (1982) unfolds in the year 1907 in the Swedish city of Uppsala, centering around the lives of siblings Alexander and Fanny, who belong to the affluent Ekdahl family. Their parents, deeply involved in the world of theater,...

Direction Justine Shapiro · B.Z. Goldberg · Carlos Bolado

Synopsis Promises (2001) offers a unique perspective on the Jewish-Palestinian conflict by tracking the lives of several Jewish and Palestinian children over three years, bringing them together in an unprecedented way. The documentary follows a diverse group of seven children from...

Direction René Clément

Cast Georges Poujouly · Brigitte Fossey · Amédée · Laurence Badie

Synopsis Forbidden Games (1952) centers around Paulette (Brigitte Fossey), a young girl of five years old who finds herself orphaned after her parents perish during an aerial bombardment on a civilian convoy. She is taken in by a humble peasant family...

Direction Andrei Tarkovsky

Cast Margarita Terekhova · Philip Yankovsky · Ignat Daniltsev · Oleg Yankovskiy

Synopsis The Mirror (1975) is a deeply introspective film that masterfully blends flashbacks, historical footage, and original poetry to delve into the memories of a man reflecting on his childhood during World War II, his adolescence, and the painful divorce that...

Direction Nadine Labaki

Cast Zain Al Rafeea · Yordanos Shiferaw · Boluwatife Treasure Bankole · Kawthar Al Haddad

Synopsis Capernaum (2018) is a poignant and contemporary narrative that revolves around a young boy who defies the harsh circumstances he has been born into and takes legal action against his parents. The film delves into the complexities of poverty, injustice,...