The need for relation and exchange

Who is the young viewer? What are his expectations? Are young audiences interested in contemporary productions only? Perhaps it’s an unjust stereotype? How to attract them? Can this group be more specific and unified? These and other questions were discussed during the panel “Young people at the cinema: research, practices, perspectives” held as part of the Gdynia Industry events.

According to study, the first determinant is age. The younger the viewer, the more we can talk about unification and common needs. For those over the age of ten – when the child’s identity shapes, when we observe their emotional and social development – preferences become clearly differentiated.

– That means teenagers need broad perspectives: different film genres, different protagonists and topics, and most of all a wide scope of emotions – says the meeting’s moderator Zofia Małkowicz, sociologist and social researcher.

– Young viewer is just a viewer – emphasises Agata Sotomska, culture expert, responsible for all-Poland programme School Film Archive, in years 2008-2022. – Just like adult viewers, they have their preferences. Whereas I have an impression that adults do not believe in children’s potential and they do not understand that children may be interested in a given type of cinema. And therefore, they limit their choice and don’t give them a chance to broaden their film horizons.

Sotomska stresses the fact that when carrying out the projects devoted to young audiences, she was observing reactions of children who have never seen Polish cinema of the 60s and 70s. It turned out that the youngest viewers were interested in those productions, they had lots of questions about what they see on screen. It is therefore important what choices are made by adults at the early stage of film education. As they may shape the future taste of young people.

Katarzyna Ślesicka, Deputy Director at the Andrzej Wajda Film Centre, Head of the Education Department, and co-creator of the “Let’s Doc” Documentary Film Festival for Young Audiences, emphasises that it is difficult to fit young viewers into any particular category. A young viewer could be a three-year-old sat in front of a tablet by their parents, but also an eighteen or nineteen-year-old interested in cinema.

“There’s no single answer to the question of what this viewer is like,” says Ślesicka. “The only thing we can do is not assume anything in advance. Especially since the reality is changing rapidly: from technology, through communication methods, to the reception of art.”

“It’s quite a cognitive shock to realise how differently today’s youth perceive cinema,” adds Marta Jodko, art historian and Artistic Director of the International Young Audience Film Festival Ale Kino!. “Most often, they start by watching content on YouTube. Full-length films are usually chosen by adults who take them to the cinema. It’s a kind of family experience. Film as film, meaning the long form that shaped our generation, isn’t anything special for them. It’s just a longer video.”

A change in thinking is therefore necessary. The question is whether adults should inspire their passion for cinema or the other way around? Should we adapt to the world in which today’s youth are growing up, or find common ground somewhere in between?

“One thing hasn’t changed: young people want to talk about films,” Jodko emphasises. “Firstly, they are together, spending time as a group, and that’s why they go to the cinema together. Secondly, a shared conversation opens their eyes; it’s an important and valuable experience. A trip to the cinema needs to be a kind of event: a fun outing to a welcoming place, with reasonably priced tickets.”

“The fundamental need is the need for connection and exchange. To be seen and heard,” adds Małkowicz. Meanwhile, Sotomska points out that children aren’t accustomed to being asked for their opinions on a daily basis. Every conversation after a film is something unique and empowering.

“There’s no wrong way to enter the world of cinema,” says Ślesicka. “We can’t make anyone feel ashamed – not the kids for watching films on their phones, nor the teachers for only watching series or struggling with something. Instead, we should provide them with tools. A film can be a starting point for a conversation with a class during homeroom, and it can help create context for a book they’re reading.”

And the real art is to encourage, not to force, she adds.

Interview by Mateusz Demski

Photo: Wojtek Rojek

The article appeared in the festival newspaper “Klaps”