SOUNDS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT

14+

SOUNDS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT is a captivating documentary that follows the trials and tribulations of the contestants in the junior version of the European Song Contest. The workshop accompanying the film introduces a range of themes to discuss: the current ‘cult of celebrity’, what is ambition and how do we define and achieve our goals, embracing winning and handling losing, coping with pressure from parents to achieve, the vulnerability of children in the spotlight, the definition of ’success’, sexuality and sexualisation and finally, the possibilities for bringing together children from across all of Europe. Given that the film weaves between humour, sympathy, compassion and clear entertainment, it is an extremely useful film to provoke thought and discussion amongst the attending students.

100 minutes

UK, Jamie Jay Johnson, 2008, Documentary

Jamie Jay Johnson’s debut feature documentary SOUNDS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT takes the viewer behind the scenes of Europe’s biggest child song-writing contest. This funny and charming behind-the-scenes documentary follows four of the 17 contestants on their way to the finals of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam 2007, where they perform their self-composed songs in their national language.

Johnson’s popumentary does not focus on winners and losers, but rather captures both the excitement of being a contestant and the confusions of being a kid. It is a heart-warming, honest documentary about children’s ambitions and aspirations, about their hopes and struggles. Most of the kids come from conflict ridden homelands or families, what they have in common is their passion for music and the happiness it brings. SOUNDS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT shows how music never fails to unite people.