Synopsis
Elias, a boy from the Belgian countryside, forms a friendship with his new neighbor, Alexander, a confident and headstrong boy from Brussels. As the two grow closer, Alexander reveals that he was in love with a boy and asks Elias if he has experienced true love, a question that lingers in his mind.
For the first time, Elias begins to understand the depth of his feelings as he starts to fall in love with Alexander. However, overwhelmed by fear of judgment and rejection, Elias denies his emotions, distancing himself from his friends, family, and Alexander to hide his truth. Consumed by loneliness and regret, Elias struggles with the weight of his decisions.
A heartfelt conversation with his grandfather, who shares a story of his enduring love for his late wife, inspires Elias to confront his fears. Realizing that love is too precious to let slip away, he gathers the courage to reconcile with Alexander, taking a brave step toward embracing his feelings and the possibility of love.
Production
Young Hearts is the debut directing feature film for Anthony Schatteman featuring Lou Goossens and Marius De Saeger in the main roles, with Geert Van Rampelberg, Emilie De Roo, and Dirk Van Dyck playing pivotal supporting roles. [5] The film is produced by Polar Bear, in co-production with the Belgian Kwassa Films and the Dutch Family Affair Films. [6]
The development of the film began in 2019 and spanned four years. Production of the film was first announced by Anthony Schatteman in a Facebook post on 31 May 2022. [7] The production team spent six months scouting suitable filming locations. Open casting calls began on 20 September 2022, focusing on filling the main roles with boys aged 11 to 18. [8] Director Anthony Schatteman, alongside his best friend and the film's Children's Coach, Oliver Roels, reviewed over 1,500 auditions. Marius De Saeger was the first actor cast, as his personality and personal life closely aligned with the character of Alexander. [9] Lou Goossens was later selected for the role of Elias, chosen for his natural connection with De Saeger and the parallels between his personal life and that of the character. [10] Filming commenced in August 2023 and was completed over a span of 28 days. [11]
The film's narrative draws heavily from Schatteman's own youth and personal experiences. In an interview with the Teddy Award, he described it as the film he "needed or wanted to see" during his adolescence. Schatteman aimed to create a universal coming-of-age story that could resonate with viewers of all ages. [12] He emphasized the film's focus on romance, drawing inspiration from his own life, and its intent to evoke strong emotions. [13] The story centers on themes of identity, self-discovery, and the struggles of growing up. [14]
On 1 September 2025, Polar Bear released the chemistry and dialogue screen test casting tape which featured Lou Goossens and Marius De Saeger reading for the roles of Elias and Alexander for the first time before being eventually cast in the film. [15] De Saeger was 13 years old at the time this test was filmed. [16]
Release
Theatrical
Young Hearts had its world premiere on 17 February 2024, as part of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, in Generation Kplus. [22] [23] [24] It was also screened at the 50th Seattle International Film Festival in May 2024 [25] and the 77th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes Écrans Juniors section on 22 May 2024. [26] It had its Canadian premiere at the Inside Out Film and Video Festival on 28 May 2024 in Centrepiece Gala. [27]
It also featured in the International Competition of Feature Films in the junior category on 2 June 2024 in the 64th edition of the Zlín Film Festival, also known as the International Film Festival for Children and Youth held in the Czech Republic. [28] The film competed for Iris Prize Best Feature Award in Iris Prize and was screened on 10 October 2024. [29]
The film was released in Belgian cinemas on 18 December 2024 by Kinepolis Film Distribution. [6] The film was released in Dutch cinemas on 19 December 2024. [30] The film premiered in the United States on 14 March 2025 at the IFC Center in New York. [31] The film was anticipated to premiere more widely across 2025. On Friday 6 June, United Kingdom distributor Peccadillo Pictures confirmed via the film's official trailer that Young Hearts would be released in the UK on Friday 8 August. [32]
The film was released in Mexican cinemas on 17 July 2025 by Cine Caníbal. [33] [34] [35] Lou Goossens and Marius De Saeger stated their satisfaction and amazement on the enormous level of praise Young Hearts achieved with audiences in Mexico describing it as a "surreal" experience due to it being a country far away from Belgium as well as being a larger city. [36]
Deleted Scenes
Elias and Alexander After the Pool Party at Valerie's House
Polar Bear released a deleted scene on 11 August 2025. [51] The scene takes place after the pool party at Valerie's house. Elias, feeling nervous and confused, asks Alexander if their relationship as friends is okay, he answers affirmatively. [52]
Elias Comes to Say Sorry to Valerie
Polar Bear released a second deleted scene on 18 August 2025. [53] The scene takes place after Elias' confession to his mother Nathalie about being in love with Alexander. Elias comes to Valerie's house to apologize to her after hurting her feelings at the costume party. Valerie tearfully asks him if he ever truly liked her and Elias tells her she's always been his best friend and that he doesn't want to lose her. She accepts his apology and tells him she'll get ready for the Harvest festival as her friend Zoë is about to arrive. [54] Even though it was very important in the script that Elias apologised to Valerie, the scene was cut from the film due to pacing. [55]
Elias and his Mother at Dorleys Talking About his Grandfather and Alexander
Polar Bear released a third deleted scene on 25 August 2025. [56] The scene possibly takes place after Alexander and Elias swim togethether at the lake. Elias and his mother Nathalie are buying hydrangeas at Dorleys florist shop. He asks her if she thinks his grandfather Fred will be able to overcome the grief of losing his wife and feel happy once again, his mother says she hopes so. Elias also tells his mother that Alexanders' own mother has died. Nathalie asks him how Alexander is doing at school and tells her son she believes both of them get along very well together as friends. Elias smiles and says Alexander is very funny. [57] The scene was cut from the film due to it deviating from the main storyline. [58]
Elias & Lukas During Gym Class
Polar Bear released a fourth deleted scene on 8 September 2025. [59] The scene takes place after Elias introduces his classmates to Alexander during his first day at school. Elias is sitting down leaning on a treetrunk drinking water. He gazes curiously at Alexander while he's receiving instructions from his new teacher on how to flex his knees during an outdoors Physical Education class. Shortly thereafter, he is joined by his friend Lukas who also gazes at Alexander, feeling intrigued. Elias asks Lukas how he feels after sprinting, Lukas tells him he feels hot. Elias drinks some water and jokingly spits it on his friend's face laughing at his shocked reaction. [60]
Grandpa Fred is Looking at Grandma’s Drawings
Polar Bear released a fifth and final deleted scene on 15 September 2025. [61] The scene takes place after Elias and Alexander eat cherries together on the field and talk about what it's like to fall in love for the first time. Elias sees his grandfather Fred looking at some of his late wive's drawings. He tells him she didn't draw very much in her final years and also says he can keep her drawings as well as her art supplies. Elias asks his grandfather if he has considered framing or selling some of the drawings. [62]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 90% of 21 critics' reviews are positive. [64] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 69 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [65]
Aurore Engelen reviewing the film at Berlinale for Cineuropa wrote, "Young Hearts is an authentic coming-of-age tale which enriches the existing body of family films with a wonderful queer love story." [66]
Catherine Bray writing in Variety praised Lou Goossens, for being "naturalistic and able to convey subtle shades of inner turmoil, despite his young age." Praising director Anthony Schatteman for his direction wrote, "his direction feels calm and quietly confident in ways that is not always the case with a debut." Concluding her review she opined, "Young Hearts, while gentler and less obviously tear-jerking, benefits from a sincere and lived-in emotional honesty which serves its aims well." [67]
Beatrice Loayza, writing in The New York Times wrote "Young Hearts is a more wholesome, and ultimately more cliché, endeavor. In the end, teenage brooding gives way to a sparkling fairy tale finale that shows that there was nothing for Elias to worry about, after all." [68]
Gary M. Kramer, reviewing the film for Gay City News , lavished praise on the performances of Goossens and De Saeger, writing, "Goossens carries the film, effortlessly, and he is well matched by De Saeger, who is appropriately more relaxed and comfortable in his own skin as Alexander. De Saeger's responses to Elias' discomfort are real, and it creates a real investment for viewers to want the boys to end up together." [69]
Diego Semerene, of Slant Magazine , awarded the film 3 out 4 stars, writing, "Tenderly observed, writer-director Anthony Schatteman's film offers the rare opportunity to indulge in a fantasy where the risks of queer love going public are anodyne, even negligible, while also leaving room for a casual critique of what we could perhaps call Nordic parenting, where children enjoy so much autonomy but are also left to their own devices." [70]
Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com also gave the film 3 out of 4 stars and praised Schatteman's direction, writing, "Schattenman trusts his young leads, often allowing his gentle lens to linger on their faces as new thoughts, feelings, and passions bubble to the surface." [71]
G. Allen Johnson, writing in the San Francisco Chronicle , gave the film 3 out of 4 stars and praised the performance of Goossens as "astonishingly subtle". Writing about the film, he said, "'Young Hearts' is a film that doesn't traffic in big plot twists or dramatic reveals. It's a film that treasures fragile thoughts and feelings, rare in a film these days." [72]
