Youngsters rising to their capacity
Inspiring stories with younger protagonists finding their way in life
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- DirectorRichard LaGraveneseStarsHilary SwankImelda StauntonPatrick DempseyA young teacher inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves and pursue education beyond high school.
- CreatorBryan FullerStarsEllen MuthCallum BlueJasmine GuyAfter being hit on the head by a toilet seat that fell from Mir space station, a young temp clerk becomes a grim reaper in death.
- DirectorTakeshi KitanoStarsTakeshi KitanoYusuke SekiguchiKayoko KishimotoA young, naive boy sets out alone on the road to find his wayward mother. Soon he finds an unlikely protector in a crotchety man and the two have a series of unexpected adventures along the way.
- CreatorWinnie HolzmanStarsBess ArmstrongWilson CruzClaire DanesA 15-year-old girl and her trials and tribulations of being a teenager and dealing with friends, guys, parents, and school.
- DirectorLasse HallströmStarsJohnny DeppLeonardo DiCaprioJuliette LewisA young man in a small Midwestern town struggles to care for his mentally-disabled younger brother and morbidly obese mother while attempting to pursue his own happiness.
- DirectorJared HessStarsJon HederEfren RamirezJon GriesA listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home.
- DirectorStephen DaldryStarsJamie BellJulie WaltersJean HeywoodA talented young boy becomes torn between his unexpected love of dance and the disintegration of his family.
- DirectorPeter WebberStarsScarlett JohanssonColin FirthTom WilkinsonA young peasant maid working in the house of painter Johannes Vermeer becomes his talented assistant and the model for one of his most famous works.
- DirectorGurinder ChadhaStarsParminder NagraKeira KnightleyJonathan Rhys MeyersTwo ambitious girls, despite their parents' wishes, have their hearts set on careers in professional football.
- DirectorSofia CoppolaStarsStephen DorffElle FanningChris PontiusAfter withdrawing to the Chateau Marmont, a passionless Hollywood actor reexamines his life when his eleven-year-old daughter surprises him with a visit.
- DirectorRob MarshallStarsZiyi ZhangKen WatanabeMichelle YeohThe heartwarming tale of Nitta Sayuri, a young Japanese woman who transcended from her fishing-village roots and became one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.
- DirectorNiki CaroStarsKeisha Castle-HughesRawiri ParateneVicky HaughtonA contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize.
- DirectorFrançois DupeyronStarsOmar SharifPierre BoulangerGilbert MelkiIn Paris, a Turkish shop owner befriends a Jewish boy in his mid-teens.
- DirectorVikramaditya MotwaneStarsRajat BarmechaRonit RoyManjot SinghExpelled from his school, a 16-year old boy returns home to his abusive and oppressive father.
- DirectorWolfgang ReithermanStarsPhil HarrisSebastian CabotLouis PrimaBagheera the Panther and Baloo the Bear have a difficult time trying to convince a boy to leave the jungle for human civilization.
- StarsMaryam HassouniEva van de WijdevenChristine van StralenThis series is about two girls; Dunya and Desie. They both live in the Bijlmer in Amsterdam. Dunya is a girl from Maroccan descent who has strict parents. Desie is a girl from the Netherlands who lives with her mom. They are best friends even though they have a different background.
- DirectorLukas MoodyssonStarsOksana AkinshinaArtyom BogucharskiyPavel PonomaryovSixteen-year-old Lilja and her only friend, the young boy Volodja, live in Russia, fantasizing about a better life. One day, Lilja falls in love with Andrej, who is going to Sweden, and invites Lilja to come along and start a new life.
- DirectorKore-eda HirokazuStarsYûya YagiraAyu KitauraHiei KimuraIn a small Tokyo apartment, twelve-year-old Akira must care for his younger siblings after their mother leaves them and shows no sign of returning.
- DirectorDoug AtchisonStarsAngela BassettLaurence FishburneKeke PalmerAkeelah, a young gifted girl, comes from a dysfunctional family and is on the verge of quitting school. She discovers that she has a high aptitude for spellings and enters a spelling bee contest.
- DirectorJimmy T. MurakamiDianne JacksonStarsDavid BowieRaymond BriggsMel SmithOn Christmas Eve, a young boy builds a snowman that comes to life and takes him to the North Pole to meet Father Christmas.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsRachel WeiszMark WahlbergSaoirse RonanCenters on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family - and her killer - from purgatory. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.
- DirectorJeffrey BlitzStarsAngela ArenivarUbaldo ArenivarJorge ArenivarSpellbound follows eight teenagers on their quest to win the 1999 National Spelling Bee.
- DirectorMichael PavoneStarsEd HarrisChase EllisonMolly ParkerIn 1965, 13 y.o. paperboy Andy's paired up with a geek on a project in the popular junior high teacher's class. Andy learns and grows from it.
- DirectorTate TaylorStarsViola DavisEmma StoneOctavia SpencerAn aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African American maids' point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.
- DirectorMick JacksonStarsClaire DanesJulia OrmondDavid StrathairnA biopic of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who has become one of the top scientists in the humane livestock handling industry.
- DirectorPeter MullanStarsEileen WalshDorothy DuffyNora-Jane NooneThree young Irish women struggle to maintain their spirits while they endure dehumanizing abuse as inmates of a Magdalene Sisters Asylum.
- DirectorAnna BodenRyan FleckStarsKeir GilchristZach GalifianakisEmma RobertsA clinically-depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward.
- DirectorPaul FeigStarsBen TibberJim CaviezelJoan PlowrightA twelve-year-old boy escapes from a Bulgarian Communist concentration camp and sets out on a journey to reach Denmark.
- DirectorCarroll BallardStarsJeff DanielsAnna PaquinDana DelanyA father and daughter decide to attempt to lead a flock of orphaned Canada Geese south by air.
- DirectorFranco ZeffirelliStarsWilliam HurtCharlotte GainsbourgAnna PaquinJane Eyre is an orphan cast out as a young girl by her aunt, Mrs. Reed, and sent to be raised in a harsh charity school for girls. There she learns to become a teacher and eventually seeks employment outside of the school. Her advertisement is answered by the housekeeper of Thornfield Hall, Mrs. Fairfax.
- DirectorGavin WiesenStarsFreddie HighmoreEmma RobertsMichael AngaranoGeorge, a lonely and fatalistic teen who has made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work, is befriended by Sally, a popular but complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit.
- DirectorJon PollStarsAnton YelchinRobert Downey Jr.Hope DavisA rich kid becomes the self-appointed psychiatrist to the student body of his new high school.
- DirectorJafar PanahiStarsMina Mohammad KhaniKazem MojdehiNaser OmuniWhen a young girl becomes lost in the hustle and bustle of Tehran, her journey turns into a dazzling exercise on the nature of film itself.
- DirectorNila Madhab PandaStarsGulshan GroverHarsh MayarPitobashAn impoverished boy forms an unlikely and unstable friendship with the lonely son of a nobleman.
- DirectorRamón MenéndezStarsEdward James OlmosEstelle HarrisMark PhelanThe story of Jaime Escalante, a high school teacher who successfully inspired his dropout-prone students to learn calculus.
- CreatorBlanche HanalisStarsMelissa GilbertMichael LandonKaren GrassleThe life and adventures of the Ingalls family in the nineteenth century American Midwest.
- DirectorGus Van SantStarsRobin WilliamsMatt DamonBen AffleckWill Hunting, a janitor at M.I.T., has a gift for mathematics, but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.
- DirectorLee Jong EonOunie LecomteStarsKim Sae-ronKo Ah-sungSol Kyung-guYoung Jinhee is taken by her father to an orphanage near Seoul. He leaves her there never to return, and she struggles to come to grips with her fate. Jinhee desperately believes her father will come back for her.
- DirectorCéline SciammaStarsKaridja TouréAssa SyllaLindsay KaramohA girl with few real prospects joins a gang, reinventing herself and gaining a sense of self confidence in the process. However, she soon finds that this new life does not necessarily make her any happier.
- DirectorMorgan MatthewsStarsAsa ButterfieldRafe SpallSally HawkinsA socially awkward teenage maths prodigy finds new confidence and new friendships when he lands a spot on the British squad at the International Mathematics Olympiad.
- DirectorBrian PercivalStarsSophie NélisseGeoffrey RushEmily WatsonWhile subjected to the horrors of World War II Germany, young Liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. In the basement of her home, a Jewish refugee is being protected by her adoptive parents.
- DirectorMatt BrownStarsDev PatelJeremy IronsMalcolm SinclairThe story of the life and academic career of the pioneer Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and his friendship with his mentor, Professor G.H. Hardy.
- DirectorPhilippe FalardeauStarsMohamed FellagSophie NélisseÉmilien NéronAt a Montréal public grade school, an Algerian immigrant is hired to replace a popular teacher who committed suicide in her classroom. While helping his students deal with their grief, his own recent loss is revealed.
- DirectorBrad BirdStarsGeorge ClooneyBritt RobertsonHugh LaurieBound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory.
- DirectorGauri ShindeStarsAlia BhattShah Rukh KhanKunal KapoorKaira is a budding cinematographer in search of a perfect life. Her encounter with Jug, an unconventional thinker, helps her gain a new perspective on life. She discovers that happiness is all about finding comfort in life's imperfections.
- DirectorRajesh PillaiStarsNivin PaulyAmala PaulPraveenaThe story of Mili, an introvert girl who grows up to be a self made woman.
- DirectorM. ManikandanStarsRamesh ThilaganathanJ. VigneshAishwarya RajeshTwo slum kids yearn to taste a pizza after being enticed by the pizza shop that has opened near their locality. What happens when they manage to find the money to buy one?
- DirectorPhilipp StölzlStarsTom PayneStellan SkarsgårdOlivier MartinezIn 11th-century Persia, a surgeon's apprentice disguises himself as a Jew to study at a school that does not admit Christians.
- StarsLee Sun-kyunIULee Ji-ahA man in his 40s withstands the weight of life. A woman in her 20s goes through different experiences, but also withstands the weight of her life. The man and woman get together to help each other.
- StarsJ.Y. ParkBae SuzyKim Soo-hyunThe story of six students at Kirin Art High School who work to achieve their dreams of becoming stars in the Korean music industry. Along the way, they discover the true meaning of friendship, love and life.
- DirectorÉric LartigauStarsKarin ViardFrançois DamiensEric ElmosninoA girl, who lives with her deaf parents, discovers that she has the gift of singing.
- DirectorJames KentStarsAlicia VikanderKit HaringtonTaron EgertonA British woman recalls coming of age during World War I - a story of young love, the futility of war, and how to make sense of the darkest times.
- DirectorZoya AkhtarStarsRanveer SinghAlia BhattSiddhant ChaturvediA coming-of-age story based on the lives of street rappers in Mumbai.
- StarsLee Jong-sukKim Woo-binPark Se-youngThe iconic "School Series" that ran from 1999-2002 gets a serious reboot more than ten years later. This new installment features a cast of millenials engaging with contemporary high school life, concerns and dreams. Jang Na Ra and Daniel Choi star as two teachers who will hopefully be able to turn a class of delinquents around. But what do you get when you pack the entire spectrum of high school into one small room? More drama than four years can handle!
- StarsShin Hye-sunYang Se-jongAhn Hyo-seopAfter emerging from a thirteen-year coma, a woman tries to adjust to adult life and reconnect with the man she believes is responsible for her condition.
- DirectorKristóf DeákStarsDorka GáspárfalviDorottya HaisZsófia Szamosi'Sing' is a childhood drama with a lot of music, set in 1990s Budapest, Hungary. Inspired by a true story, it follows an award winning school choir and the new girl in class who just might uncover the ugly secret behind their fame.
- DirectorHyun-Sung MoonStarsHa Ji-WonBae DoonaHan Yeri"As One" is the cinematic retelling of the first ever post-war Unified Korea sports team, hastily formed to participate in the 41st World Table Tennis Championships in 1991. Following the North Korean mid-air bombing of Korean Air Flight 858 in 1987, a Summit was held between North and South Korea to defuse the extreme tension on the peninsula. The summit ended with the agreement to form a unified Korean sports team; and table tennis, being highly visible and world-class in both countries, was chosen as the symbolic unifier. Summarily, the first-ever unified North-South team under the simple aegis "KOREA" was formed to compete in the 1991 World Table Tennis Championships in Chiba, Japan. "As One" recounts these dramatic events where especially two world-class players who had only ever met across the table as die-hard opponents must suddenly become a true partners and teammates in time for the biggest stage of the World Championships. Putting aside their individual ambitions, these women have to summon every ounce of grit and grace to defeat a dominating Chinese team that is vying for its 9th consecutive World Championship title.
- DirectorBora KimStarsPark Ji-huKim Sae-byeokJeong In-giSeoul 1994, in the year the Seongsu Bridge collapsed, 14-year-old Eunhee wanders the city searching for love.
- StarsHan Hyo-jooLee So-yeonJulia LimStory a simple maid that rises high in the royal harem as a consort and, ultimately, mother of the Korean king.
- StarsIm Jin-ahPark Sung-hoonAhn Nae-sangA dirt-born character chooses to join politics over getting a job and punishing rogue politicians with an elite official.
- DirectorA.L. VijayStarsDitya BhandePrabhu DevaAishwarya RajeshA young girl dreams of winning the 'Pride of India Jr.' title in the National dance competition.
- DirectorNiki CaroStarsLiu YifeiDonnie YenGong LiTo keep her ailing father from serving in the Imperial Army, a fearless young woman disguises herself as a man and battles northern invaders in China.
- DirectorYu Shan ChenStarsVivian SungTalu WangDino LeeLove grows where it isn't expected in this endearing romantic comedy coming of age movie.
- StarsTakashi SorimachiNanako MatsushimaYôsuke KubozukaOnizuka, a former delinquent finds himself in the role of a high school teacher, facing students who behave just as he used to. Using unusual methods, he manages to reach through to his students and help them with their problems.
- DirectorDae-gyu KangStarsSung Dong-ilKim Hee-wonHa Ji-WonA human drama about a man who would do anything for money becoming friends with a child who is then taken hostage.
- StarsKim Hwan-heeRyu Soo-youngKim Do-hoonA girl believes her whole life has been miserable. She dreams of revenge on people who are responsible for her misery.
- StarsPark Ji-hoonKang Min-ahBae In-hyukA coming of age campus story about youth in their 20s whose lives appear to be like the beauty of spring from afar but cold and harsh when viewed up close.
- StarsNam Joo-hyukKim Min-kyuKim So-hyunTwo twin sisters, who are orphans, get separated when one of them gets adopted. However, fate brings them together during their darkest hours as their lives get switched.
- StarsLee Min-hoPark Shin-hyeKim Woo-binAfter a chance encounter in LA, two teens from different social backgrounds reunite at an exclusive high school attended by Korea's über rich.
- DirectorBaz PoonpiriyaStarsChutimon ChuengcharoensukyingEisaya HosuwanTeeradon SupapunpinyoLynn, a genius high school student who makes money by cheating tests, receives a new task that leads her to set foot on Sydney, Australia. In order to complete the millions-Baht task, Lynn and her classmates have to finish the international STIC(SAT) exam and deliver the answers back to her friends in Thailand before the exam takes place once again in her home country.
- StarsGeorge TokoroHiroko MoriguchiMegumiToddlers, aged two to four, are followed by cameras as they are sent on their first errands by themselves. From delivering forgotten items to shopping trips, the little ones get to make their first independent journeys into the world.
- CreatorNiwa TanbaStarsKana KurashinaFuka KoshibaHaruka KinamiAn office lady with a secret obsession for comic-book culture does her best to balance her job and hobby day by day.
- StarsJeong Woong-inKim Jung-hyunRyu DamStory of Queen Seondeok who was born a princess, brought up among commoners and overcame many trials to become the ruler of Silla.
- StarsSon Sang-yeonYang Hye-JiShin Yun-SeobThis is a youth romantic comedy drama but not the romance of those who attempted to date but failed because of numerous reasons.
- DirectorVelrajStarsDhanushSaranya PonvannanAmala PaulA jobless young man gets to redeem himself.
- CreatorScott FrankAllan ScottStarsAnya Taylor-JoyChloe PirrieBill CampOrphaned at the tender age of nine, prodigious introvert Beth Harmon discovers and masters the game of chess in 1960s USA. But child stardom comes at a price.
- StarsAfra SaraçogluMert Ramazan DemirGülçin SantirciogluHalis Aga, the pillar of one of Gaziantep's well-established families, decides to marry off his unruly grandson Ferit to bring him into line.(warning: multiple scene's depict excessive domestic violence)
- StarsBaris FalayCanan ErguderFatih ArtmanAt a talent agency in Istanbul, agents scramble to keep their star clients happy and their business afloat. The agents will juggle one situation to another in circumstances that blend their personal and professional lives.
- StarsElif KurtuaranMerve SenFeride ÇetinMasal, who grew up with the stories of her mother, Sirin, is now trapped in a cold and realistic world when her mother is hospitalized due to heart disease.
- CreatorSteven KnightStarsAria Mia LobertiLouis HofmannLars EidingerThe story of Marie-Laure, a blind French teenager, and Werner, a German soldier, whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.
- StarsErdal BesikçiogluBeren GokyildizBurcu ÖzberkMahir, who left his entire life behind and opened Ali Kaan Hope House, has ensured that every child who comes to his house from day one finds the right family. Blue, Mozi, Bambi and Zeynep, who share the same room in the House of Hope Ali Kaan, live on the way to finding their new families.
- CreatorNaoko MatsudaStarsKim SejeongDaniel ChoiHa Do-kwonThe story is about a woman who struggles together with her coworkers to mature into a true webtoon editor after joining the webtoon editorial department.
- StarsPark Shin-hyeKim Ji-hoonKim Yoon-hyeThe shy shut-in Dok-mi must come out of her shell when she gets caught spying on her handsome neighbor by his famous houseguest.
- StarsRyunosuke KamikiHana SugisakiSuzu HiroseCan the power of words be a force for change? Tsubame Haruna (Suzu Hirose) is an unassuming, sensitive high school girl who finds herself pushed to become Student Council President by those around her.
- DirectorHayato KawaiStarsSuzu HiroseYûki AmamiAyami NakajôLed by a demanding coach, an unlikely squad of small town girls vie for victory in a major US cheer dance championship. Based on true events.
- DirectorGene StupnitskyStarsJennifer LawrenceAndrew Barth FeldmanLaura BenantiOn the brink of losing her home, Maddie finds an intriguing job listing: helicopter parents looking for someone to bring their introverted 19-year-old son out of his shell before college. She has one summer to make him a man or die trying.
- StarsBugra GülsoyBeren GokyildizLeyla Lydia TugutluAn empathetic girl, Öykü, seeks her swindler father after her aunt abandons her.