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. From Belgium.

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.

Juror comments: I love how the curiosity builds up so much at the beginning of Yana. I like that the curiosity is built so subtly with the music and camera angles and I like how Yana's face is subtly expressive and her actions are all so purposeful. However, when she does get emotional it comes out really strong and it is very emotional to watch.

The film follows Yana taking a trip across town on her bicycle to her old house. She needs to clean it out and that brings up a lot of heavy emotions for her. She heads back home, realizing she is locked out, and that adds to the frustration until she meets a friend.

I really like how the story brings Yana to her old house and back on such an emotional journey. It shows that, as sad as she was, she could still be a child and have fun. The cinematography is quite good; the camera angles add to building the audience’s curiosity. When she rides her bike, the quiet music and camera focus are on the bike, and the sound of her pedaling show us there is meaning and purpose to this journey. The different shots show the time progression. When she cleans out the room all by herself, it is very emotional as it becomes empty. I love the location and sets. The house is filled with so many personal items and personal memories. You see her sadness and suddenly, she starts blowing bubbles just for fun. The background music plays a key role in focusing your attention to where it needs to be. For example, it is quiet so you can hear the pedaling. It is sad and depressing when she is bagging up things to get rid of all by herself. Hasse Huygens, who plays Yana, delivers a very believable performance. We see her trying to be so brave and get the job done, taking on a job that no child should have to do alone and when she hits an emotional breaking point and bounces back to being a happy-go-lucky child, your heart breaks a bit for her. My favorite part of the film is when we see her playing and having fun like a kid, despite all the responsibility and emotional trauma she is experiencing. My least favorite part is when the realtor tells her to tell her mom to clear out the house completely, though her response is terrific!

This film shows that kids are very immensely affected by the actions of adults that are central to their lives. It also shows how resilient children are, against all odds. You should know that it contains some mild profanity (shit) plus she flips off the man while showing the house. The film makes me curious to learn more about childhood trauma. There is so much more for us to learn about things that affect children, as this film shows.

I give Yana 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. Reviewed by Melissa M., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror