Punks
Maasja Ooms
The parents are at their wits’ end, so a temporary supervision order is the last hope for a group of teenagers in Punks. Now, on a remote farm in France, they’re going to have to get their lives back on track, with the help of a counselor.
If they want any chance of a happy life, they need to engage in some frank and painful conversations. Mitchel has to find a way to get along with his father, but maybe too much has already happened since his mother died. Jahlano is already at the next stage: he’s no longer allowed to live with his mother, and needs to get over the disappointment. Mike, meanwhile, is struggling with his image as a boy who’s “got a screw loose.”
Filmed in constant close-up by director Maasja Ooms, the teenagers try to tame their demons with music and therapy, but problems from the past keep resurfacing. In this intimate and sincere portrait, these troubled kids show us their most vulnerable sides.
Best Cinematography IDFA 2019
Best Editing IDFA 2019
Special Mention Dutch Documentary IDFA 2019
Dutch Directors Guild Award, Best Documentary
Nominated for a Golden Calf for Best Feature Length Documentary, NFF 2020.
Where to see in the Netherlands
Dutch Public Broadcast VPRO – 2DOC
Where to see at International Film Festivals
International Children Care Film Festival, Paris France | 21.11.2023