Young Hearts

Anthony
Schatteman

Anthony Schatteman (1989) graduated from the KASK School of Arts in Ghent after which he obtained an additional master's degree in Film Studies and Visual Culture at the University of Antwerp. The world of young people and their relationships with the people around them form a common thread in his work, characterised by burgeoning sexuality. Anthony portrays universal characters that everyone can identify with, in a stylised way, with little dialogue and attention to emotions that are difficult to express. His first short film Kiss me Softly was a true festival favourite, winning awards at international film festivals worldwide. Three more short films followed: Follow me, Petit Ami and Hello, Stranger. In 2020, he directed Alive, a series for Belgian broadcaster VRT starring Joke Emmers and Michäel Pas in a production of Polar Bear. The youth series Panna was released in 2021, airing on Goplay.be for SBS Belgium. The series follows four young girls who follow their dream to become football players in the streets of Antwerp. l'Homme Inconnu, is his latest short and was shot on s16mm in Cavalaire-Sur- Mer. It had its premiere at Film Fest Ghent in Belgium in 2021. This was followed by the series 2de Zit for the Belgian streaming platform Streamz and most recently, he directed the Irish series Northern Lights for Lionsgate. His debut film Young Hearts, also produced by Polar Bear, will premiere at the Berlinale Generation Kplus.

Elias (14) lives a typical teen life – with decent parents, great friends, and a best friend who might like him as more than a friend. But everything changes when Alexander moves in next door. Just days later, Alexander tells Elias he likes boys. Elias is hit by a storm of emotions. He tries to deny the feelings growing inside him, but it doesn’t work. Instead, he spins a web of lies that only grows.