YANA

Yana, a heroic 10-year-old girl, is given the task of cleaning up the shards of her parents' broken marriage in the attic of her former home. Unprocessed grief and a family secret undermine her grip on reality.

A touch of magic and a wee bit of mischief release Yana from the demands of the grown-up world and allow a new friendship to bloom.

Just like the main character, the film steps in and out of reality: it's an ode to the healing powers of imagination and the resilience that children derive from it to cope with their problems.

  • Sarah Baur
    Director
    MetaFoor
  • Sarah Baur
    Writer
    MetaFoor
  • Choux de Bruxelles - Artist Collective
    Producer
    MetaFoor
  • Sarah Baur
    Producer
  • Hasse Huygens
    Key Cast
    "Yana"
  • Viggo Maris
    Key Cast
    "Yana's Friend"
  • Michael Vergauwen
    Key Cast
    "Estate Agent"
    The Treatment, Professor T., De Ridder
  • Julie van der Schaaf
    Key Cast
    "Pregnant Woman"
  • Wouter Krokaert
    Key Cast
    "Husband"
    Notre Amour
  • Birte Leurelle
    Key Cast
    "Yana's New Friend"
  • Lula Maris
    Key Cast
    "Voice Girl on Intercom"
  • Evelien Den Tandt
    Key Cast
    "Angry Neighbour"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    YANA
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Coming of Age, Indipendent film
  • Runtime:
    20 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 10, 2019
  • Country of Origin:
    Belgium
  • Country of Filming:
    Belgium
  • Language:
    Dutch
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Moving Pictures Festival
    Essen
    Belgium
    December 14, 2019
    National Premiere
    Winner Best National Short Film
  • Night of the Short Film
    Antwerp
    Belgium
    August 22, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Filem'On - International Film Festival for Young Audiences
    Brussels
    Belgium
    November 4, 2020
    Official selection short film competition
  • Kids First! Film Festival
    Santa Fe, New Mexico
    United States
    November 19, 2020
    North American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Lucerna Youth and Children Film Festival
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    October 31, 2020
    Quarter Finalist
  • Sweden Film Awards

    Sweden
    December 2, 2020
    Semi-Finalist
  • Reels International Film Festival
    Aurangabad, Maharashtra
    India
    February 27, 2021
    Indian Premiere
    Best Child Actress - Foreign Film Category
  • Almaty Independent Film Festival
    Almaty
    Kazakhstan
    November 11, 2021
    Kazakhstan
    Official Selection
  • Tempus Film Festival
    Minsk
    Belarus
    semi-finalist
  • G Independent Film Festival
    Melbourne
    Australia
    July 17, 2021
    Australian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Festpro Filmfestival
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    semi-finalist
  • Kids First! Film Festival
    Manoa
    United States
    February 18, 2022
    Official Selection
  • San Francisco Indie Short Festival
    San Francisco
    United States
    Semi-Finalist
  • 8 & HalFilm Awards
    Rome
    Italy
    January 20, 2022
    Italian Premiere
    Winner Best Independent Drama
Director Biography - Sarah Baur

After studying film and scenario writing at the RITCS School of Arts in Brussels, Sarah Baur worked as assistant director (for Marion Hänsel, José Pinheiro and Julien Vrebos a.o.) and as final editor and reporter at TV Brussel. She also made title sequences for television, promotional films for cultural and academic institutions, experimental videos and music videos.

Her first short film MetaFoor premiered in 2001, with Raven Ruëll and Céline Brouckaert in the leading parts. The film was made with the support of the Flemish authorities.
MetaFoor was part of the multidisciplinary performance FOIRE!, which toured in Belgian cultural centers between 2001 and 2003.

With the short film YANA, Sarah returns to her first love: fiction film. She funded the film herself and is grateful to have found a small but dedicated and generous crew and cast.
Sarah hopes the release of YANA will mark the beginning of new adventures in film.

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