March 28

First-Time Voters 2021

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Much of 2021 in the Czech Republic was marked by the autumn parliamentary elections. What role does politics play in the lives of people who have just had the opportunity to vote for the first time? Director Markéta Ekrt Válková set out to film students from different schools and social classes a few months before the election. She was interested in what was important to them and how they saw their future, but above all in their relationship to politics. A diverse group of protagonists with different preferences generally approach the elections in a responsible way, studying party platforms, attending meetings, debating with teachers, friends, parents and the politicians themselves. But they also have responsibilities that cannot be put on hold: first they need to pass their final exams and finish school. How much time are young people willing to devote to politicians who often forget about their needs? Show more

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Young Plato

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The headmaster of a Catholic boys’ school in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, is betting on a progressive approach to teaching. Through philosophy, he teaches his students how to deal with the country’s complex past as well as their own adolescence. What is it like to grow up in a city haunted by the remnants of recent conflicts, which still bubble up in street skirmishes to this day? The charismatic headmaster of the Holy Cross Boys’ Primary School believes that while bad things do happen, the key is how we respond to them. Following Plato’s example, he uses discussion as his main teaching tool. He talks with his pupils about anxiety, aggression, and fear, and how to process these emotions with the help of quick philosophical exercises. According to him, young people in Belfast need to understand the past so they can live a better present. But is it really possible to teach children mutual respect in such a divided city? Show more

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