Youth of Today

One summer. Three lives. Growing up in the city

Youth of Today is a documentary portrait of three young people living in the Netherlands during the summer of 2012, each facing a different turning point as adulthood approaches. Filmed over the course of one summer, the film observes how personal choices, social background, and circumstance shape their transition into grown up life.

Otham Allah is a young man of Moroccan origin who wants to focus on his boxing career. As the film begins, he walks through a cloudy Amsterdam day toward an improvised barbershop in a garage. Beneath the surface calm, time is running out. By the end of the summer, Otham is due to serve a prison sentence following a violent incident during his community service, a consequence that weighs heavily on his plans and outlook.

Nina de Koning, a twenty year old woman from the provinces, moves to the city to start living independently for the first time. Her tiny studio flat quickly becomes a symbol of both freedom and isolation. With little money, no stable job, and few social connections, her days are filled with uncertainty as she searches for direction and belonging. She is ambitious and creative, but the reality of urban life proves harder than expected.

Nick Muiser, an emo boy from Enkhuizen, spends the summer with friends, trying to enjoy himself despite ongoing financial problems. After being forced to leave his family home, he attempts to regain balance and purpose while holding on to the pleasures of youth.

Moving between these three stories, the film captures the atmosphere of a city in summer and the shared question that unites them all. How do you grow up when responsibility is unavoidable but freedom still feels essential.