Young Love

Running time: N/A

United States Premiere A truly unique coming-of-age film, Young Love, is the heart-warming story of love, youthful dreams, and tolerance of those who may be different. Jukka is a precocious 13-year-old outcast, hiding behind his camera, as he painfully grows up in the suburbs. Spying on neighbors with a telephoto lens, he notices the beautiful Johanna admiring her naked body in a mirror. Astounded by his good fortune, Jukka takes pictures to capture the wondrous sight; however, the entrance of Johanna's abusive stepfather interrupts the fantasy. Befriending Johanna and believing he is the "knight in shining armor" to transport her from dreary suburbia, Jukka convinces Johanna that his photography skills will make her a famous model. This would also give Jukka occasion to escape his tortured adolescence and follow his new infatuation. But this unlikely friendship, founded on fortuitous happenstance, will change their lives in ways neither can anticipate. With shades of Antonioni's Blow Up, director Arto Lehkamo tells a moving story of self-discovery, conducted with humor and sensitivity. With surprising poignancy, Young Love is a beautifully accurate portrayal of the adolescent years and how it is a time when one steps out from behind the camera to meet the real world. Reviewed by Sandy Wolf