14-year-old Elias (Lou Goossens) has a happy family life with his singer father, his loving mother and his step-sister. Popular at school, Elias doesn’t realise there’s anything missing in his life until he locks eyes on his new neighbour Alexander (Marius De Saeger). Not sure what his feelings mean, Elias is drawn to his new friend and they begin to spend a lot of time together. After Alexander kisses him, Elias starts to understand his feelings and he realises he's falling in love for the first time.
‘Young Hearts’ is the feature debut of Anthony Schatteman and it’s an adorable exploration of first love through the eyes of two teenage boys. The film handles its subject matter sensitively, acknowledging that its young leads have fairly heavy material to get to grips with. The friendship and romance that blossoms between Elias and Alexander is portrayed very realistically. The two boys are at different stages in their journeys, with Alexander much more confident and surer of who he is. Elias’ world is thrown into chaos, first dealing with the rush of butterflies in his stomach and then trying to wrap his head around the wider implications of his feelings.
As Elias finds himself in a push-pull situation with Alexander, the people around him seem less surprised by his coming-of-age journey. His parents suspect that he might be gay, not wanting to force their own opinions and feelings onto him. There’s a lovely scene later in the film where Elias has a heart-to-heart with his mother and it’s the kind of life-affirming moment that film is made for. I can’t imagine the impact this would have on a young person in a similar situation to Elias, and I wish I’d had something similar when I was young.
Schatteman pushes Elias to his limits. The character has to deal with the sharp drop once the rush of first love wears off and reality sets in. He feels confused about Alexander’s actions towards him, and he begins to take his frustration out in other ways. The film encapsulates the rollercoaster ride of trying to deal with feelings that are bigger than you, and it’s hugely relatable.
Lou Goossens and Marius De Saeger are superb in the lead roles of Elias and Alexander. Their performances are quietly nuanced, and when they’re together they radiate the excitement of first love. Goossens’ Elias smiles from ear-to-ear whenever he’s around Alexander, whereas De Saeger’s exudes confidence beyond his years. The two youngsters do some fantastic work, and they carry the weight of the film with ease.
‘Young Hearts’ is a really sweet film and it’s going to help so many young people who are trying to come to terms with their sexuality. The film never veers into preaching, instead allowing a beautiful story to unfold that normalises same-sex attraction between young people. As any gay person can tell you, the events in this film happen in reality, and I could relate to some of the scenes. ‘Young Hearts’ is a lovely film that will warm your heart and make you feel just that bit better about the world we live in.
Cast: Lou Goossens, Marius De Saeger, Geert Van Rampelberg, Emilie De Roo Director: Anthony Schatteman Writer: Anthony Schatteman Certificate: 15 Duration: 97 mins Released by: Peccadillo Pictures Release date: 8th August 2025 (Cinemas)
