Category:Children--1980s (film subject)

Children--1980s (film subject)

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Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980)
Pixote (1981)
Fanny and Alexander (1982)
Annie (1982)
E.T. (1982)
Testament (1983)
Sugar Cane Alley (1983)
Marvin & Tige (1983)
Places in the Heart (1984)
Cuore (1984)
The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Ciske de Rat (1984)
The Goonies (1985)
My Life as a Dog (1985)
Witness (1985)
D.A.R.Y.L. (1985)
Flight of the Navigator (1986)
Stand By Me (1986)
Pelle the Conqueror (1987)
Hope and Glory (1987)
Au revoir les enfants (1987)
Overboad (1987)
Empire of the Sun (1987)
Running On Empty (1988)
Cinema Paradiso (1988)

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1980

May 23, 1980 (US Wide Release) -- The Shining (Kubrick), film -- Danny Lloyd -- A legendary psychological horror masterpiece that relies heavily on a deeply unsettling and quiet performance by young Danny Lloyd as Danny Torrance. Portraying a child gifted with telepathic abilities ("the shining"), Lloyd brilliantly captures the absolute terror of a young boy trapped in a haunted, isolated hotel with his unraveling father, making his performance a foundational pillar of the film's tense, claustrophobic atmosphere.

June 19, 1980 (Los Angeles Premiere) / June 20, 1980 (US Wide Release) -- The Blue Lagoon (Kleiser), film -- Elva Josephson & Glenn Kohan -- A world-renowned and atmospheric coming-of-age adventure drama set in the late 19th-century Victorian era. Long before the roles transition to an adolescent Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins, young Elva Josephson and Glenn Kohan portray the cousins Emmeline and Richard as children—the sole survivors of a South Pacific shipwreck. The initial act of the film relies entirely on the remarkable spontaneity of the two child actors, beautifully conveying the purity of childhood, the raw instinct of survival, and the absolute innocence of two children growing wild and free, entirely isolated from the rigid constraints of Western civilization.

September 26, 1980 (Brazil Wide Release) -- Pixote: A Lei do Mais Fraco (Babenco), film -- Fernando Ramos da Silva -- A raw, visceral, and devastating pillar of Brazilian and international neorealist cinema. In one of the most heartbreaking child acting performances in film history, young Fernando Ramos da Silva (a real street child recruited directly from the favelas) portrays Pixote, a ten-year-old boy who escapes the systemic torture of a brutal juvenile reformatory. The film chronicles his inescapable descent into the gritty criminal underworld of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro amidst drug trafficking, violence, and a desperate craving for a maternal bond, resulting in a work of brutal honesty that serves as a fierce indictment of societal neglect and corruption.

November 25, 1980 (US Television World Premiere) / December 1980 (UK Theatrical Release) -- Little Lord Fauntleroy (Gold), film -- Rick Schroder -- A classic British period costume drama based on the famous novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Fresh off his breakout success in The Champ, a very young Rick Schroder delivers an extraordinarily sweet and charismatic performance as Cedric Errol, a young boy living in genteel poverty in Brooklyn who suddenly discovers he is the sole heir to a wealthy British Earldom. Moving into a grand castle with his stern, misanthropic, and aristocratic grandfather (portrayed by an immense Alec Guinness), the boy's contagious goodness and purity of heart manage to thaw the elderly lord's frozen disposition, transforming the film into a deeply moving and timeless masterpiece about family bonds.

1981

April 1, 1981 (West Germany Wide Release) -- Christiane F. – Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo (Edel), film -- Natja Brunckhorst -- A searing, brutally realistic, and deeply controversial West German biographical drama based on the true story of Christiane Felscherinow. At just thirteen years old, Natja Brunckhorst delivers a devastatingly raw, fearless, and critically acclaimed performance as Christiane, a young girl in 1970s West Berlin who spirals into the harrowing world of heroin addiction and juvenile prostitution. Brunckhorst’s incredibly mature and unglamorous acting anchors the entire film, capturing the heartbreaking loss of innocence, bleak vulnerability, and tragic cyclical dependency of youth abandoned by society.

July 16, 1981 (UK Wide Release) / November 6, 1981 (US Wide Release) -- Time Bandits (Gilliam), film -- Craig Warnock -- A whimsical, irreverent, and visually dazzling British fantasy adventure that places a child actor at the dead center of a cosmic battle between good and evil. Eleven-year-old Craig Warnock stars as Kevin, an imaginative and neglected history enthusiast who joins a band of renegade dwarfs traveling through holes in time. Holding his own against an immense ensemble cast including Sean Connery, John Cleese, and Ian Holm, Warnock serves as the essential grounded anchor and emotional moral compass of Terry Gilliam’s surreal odyssey, beautifully translating a child's pure sense of wonder and resilience.

September 18, 1981 (US Wide Release) -- Raggedy Man (Fisk), film -- Henry Thomas -- A tense and atmospheric Southern gothic drama set during World War II, notable for featuring the major film debut of nine-year-old Henry Thomas just a year before his legendary breakout in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Thomas delivers an incredibly tender, natural, and emotionally perceptive performance as Harry, the eldest son of a divorced telephone operator (Sissy Spacek) who is ostracized by her small Texas town. Thomas’s exceptional spontaneity and poignant vulnerability beautifully capture the protective instincts, confusion, and unconditional love of a young boy trying to navigate a complex, threatening adult world.

September 16, 1981 (New York City World Premiere) / September 18, 1981 (US Wide Release) -- Mommie Dearest (Perry), film -- Mara Hobel -- An intense, dramatic, and controversial Hollywood cult movie based on the tell-all memoir by Christina Crawford. Very young Mara Hobel delivers an extraordinarily mature and psychologically complex performance as Christina as a child—the adoptive daughter of the legendary but emotionally unstable screen diva Joan Crawford (portrayed by Faye Dunaway). Hobel masterfully holds her own against Dunaway's operatic, larger-than-life acting style, perfectly embodying the terror, anxiety, and vulnerability of a young girl trapped behind Hollywood's glamorous facade while being subjected to her mother's manic, explosive physical and psychological abuse.

1982

Feb 05, 1982 (US Wide Release) -- Night Crossing (Mann), film -- Doug McKeon & Michael Maniaci -- A gripping, suspenseful Disney historical thriller based on a dramatic true story. Doug McKeon and young Michael Maniaci portray the children of the Strelzyk and Wetzel families during their real-life 1979 attempt to escape from East Germany to West Germany. The plot beautifully captures the immense pressure, fear, and shared family courage as the children help their parents secretly construct and launch a makeshift hot-air balloon to cross the heavily fortified border.

March 12, 1982 (Initial Theatrical Cut) / May 3, 1982 (USA Film Festival Premiere) / November 5, 1982 (US Expanded Release) -- Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder (Werner), film -- Thi Lien & Truong Minh Hai -- A poignant, humanistic Vietnam War drama based on true events. While Dennis Christopher plays a cynical, self-serving U.S. Army medic stationed in Saigon, the heart of the film rests on the young Vietnamese child actors, including Thi Lien and Truong Minh Hai. They deliver moving, natural performances as war orphans who gradually win over the medic's heart, inspiring him to risk his career and safety to secure them black-market food and medical supplies.

May 17, 1982 (Radio City Music Hall World Premiere) / May 21, 1982 (US Wide Release) -- Annie (Huston), film -- Aileen Quinn -- The vibrant first big-screen adaptation of the smash-hit Broadway musical. Ten-year-old Aileen Quinn wins hearts with a spunky, highly energetic performance as the iconic Depression-era orphan girl with a relentlessly optimistic spirit. Her life transforms when she is chosen to spend a week at the luxury mansion of the stern billionaire Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks, anchoring a feel-good classic defined by its memorable musical numbers and emotional grit.

## May 21, 1982 (US Wide Release) -- The Road Warrior (Miller), film -- Emil Minty -- A highly influential post-apocalyptic action masterpiece where a completely non-verbal child actor delivers one of the most iconic performances in genre history. Nine-year-old Emil Minty portrays the "Feral Kid," a wild, boomerang-wielding orphan living among a desperate community of settlers in the Australian wasteland. Without a single line of dialogue, Minty utilizes fierce expressions, raw body language, and animalistic instincts to capture a child forced to adapt to a brutal world, forming a poignant and unspoken bond of mutual respect with Mel Gibson's hardened Max.

May 26, 1982 (Cannes Film Festival World Premiere) / June 11, 1982 (US Wide Release) -- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Spielberg), film -- Henry Thomas & Drew Barrymore -- A legendary science-fiction masterpiece that remains a definitive milestone in cinema history. Ten-year-old Henry Thomas provides a timeless, extraordinarily soulful performance as Elliott, a lonely suburban boy who forms a deep, empathetic connection with a stranded alien. Co-starring a young Drew Barrymore as his sister Gertie, the film captures the absolute essence of childhood wonder, loyalty, and heartbreak as the children team up to shield E.T. from government forces.

June 4, 1982 (US Wide Release) -- Poltergeist (Hooper), film -- Heather O'Rourke & Oliver Robins -- (Integrated) A landmark supernatural horror classic developed from a concept by Steven Spielberg. Seven-year-old Heather O'Rourke delivers an iconic, bone-chilling yet innocent performance as Carol Anne Freeling, the sweet girl who famously communicates with malevolent spirits through her family's television set. Alongside Oliver Robins as her terrified brother Robbie, the children face escalating supernatural chaos, cementing O'Rourke's delivery of "They're here!" into pop culture history.

December 17, 1982 (US Wide Release) -- Six Weeks (Bill), film -- Katherine Healy -- A deeply moving and sentimental Hollywood drama centered entirely on an extraordinary debut by a real-life prodigy ballet dancer. Twelve-year-old Katherine Healy delivers a Golden Globe-nominated performance as Nicole Dreyfus, a vivacious young girl with terminal leukemia who refuses to let her illness dim her spirit. Healy holds her own beautifully alongside veteran actors Dudley Moore and Mary Tyler Moore, infusing her role with boundless energy, mature emotional depth, and breathtaking grace as her character strives to fulfill her ultimate dream of performing in the New York City Ballet.

Dec 17, 1982 (Sweden Wide Release) -- Fanny and Alexander (Bergman), film -- Pernilla Allwin & Bertil Guve -- A monumental, semi-autobiographical Swedish masterpiece by Ingmar Bergman. Young actors Bertil Guve and Pernilla Allwin deliver deeply mature, extraordinary performances as siblings growing up in an affectionate, eccentric theatrical family in early 20th-century Sweden. Their lives are upended when their widowed mother marries a tyrannical, austere bishop who locks them in a joyless, psychologically oppressive home, turning the film into a profound clash between childhood imagination and religious hypocrisy.

1983

April 01, 1983 (Italy Wide Release) -- State buoni se potete (Magni), film -- Roberto Farris & Federica Mastroianni -- A beautiful, emotionally rich Italian historical comedy-drama centered on the life of Saint Filippo Neri. Child actors Roberto Farris (young Cirifischio) and Federica Mastroianni (young Leonetta) deliver exceptionally vibrant, spirited performances as Renaissance-era Roman street urchins. Under the gentle guidance of the priest, who shields them from poverty and the literal temptation of the devil, the children's natural energy and innocence provide a moving testament to redemption and pure youth.

April 29, 1983 (US Wide Release) -- Something Wicked This Way Comes (Clayton), film -- Vidal Peterson & Shawn Carson -- (Integrated) A dark, atmospheric Disney fantasy-horror classic adapted by Ray Bradbury from his own novel. Young actors Vidal Peterson (Will Halloway) and Shawn Carson (Jim Nightshade) give exceptional, natural performances as two best friends in a quiet Illinois town. When a sinister, supernatural carnival rolls into town under the cover of night, the boys must confront their deepest fears and temptation, capturing a beautiful, haunting look at the transition from childhood innocence into the awareness of evil.

## May 25, 1983 (US Wide Release) -- Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (Marquand), film -- Warwick Davis -- A landmark space opera masterpiece featuring a groundbreaking physical performance from an adolescent actor that alters the course of galactic film history. Eleven-year-old Warwick Davis makes his legendary feature film debut as Wicket W. Warrick, the brave, highly resourceful Ewok scout who discovers Princess Leia on the forest moon of Endor. Operating entirely inside an intricate, vision-restricting creature suit, Davis infuses the non-verbal character with immense physical charisma, curious head tilts, and a fierce, tactical bravery, grounding the primitive tribe's pivotal alliance with the Rebel Alliance in a pure sense of organic innocence.

## October 07, 1983 (US Wide Release) -- Masoom (Kapur), film -- Jugal Hansraj & Urmila Matondkar -- A deeply moving, critically acclaimed Indian family drama that serves as a cornerstone of emotional child acting. Ten-year-old Jugal Hansraj delivers a profoundly heartbreaking and vulnerable performance as Rahul, an innocent young boy uprooted to New Delhi after his mother's death, completely unaware that he is the illegitimate son of the affluent family patriarch. Beside a brilliant young Urmila Matondkar as his protective step-sister, Hansraj carries the absolute emotional weight of the narrative, portraying a child struggling with quiet isolation and a desperate need for acceptance within a fractured household that is slowly being rebuilt by his undeniable purity.

## October 21, 1983 (US Wide Release) -- The Right Stuff (Kaufman), film -- Mittie Smith & Kathy Jerrell -- A sweeping, epic historical drama chronicling the fearless pilots of the Mercury 7 military space program. While the film fundamentally charts adult masculine bravado and corporate politics, its ultimate emotional vulnerability rests heavily on the younger casting choices, specifically the young actresses portraying the children of the endangered test pilots. They provide an incredibly natural, quiet, and grounded contrast to the chaotic media circus surrounding their fathers, capturing the silent, domestic tension, creeping confusion, and mature emotional restraint of children living in the constant shadow of potential aviation tragedy.

Nov 04, 1983 (US Wide Release) -- Testament (Littman), film -- Rossie Harris & Roxana Zal -- A devastating, intensely realistic drama that explores the slow, quiet aftermath of a nuclear attack on a suburban California community. Young actors Rossie Harris and Roxana Zal give shattering, profoundly grounded performances as the children of a tight-knit family trying to maintain normalcy. The film avoids explosive action to focus entirely on the domestic toll, showing the children bravely navigating radiation sickness, confusion, and the tragic, inevitable loss of their community.

Nov 18, 1983 (US Wide Release) -- A Christmas Story (Clark), film -- Peter Billingsley -- A wildly popular, satirical holiday comedy that has become a staple of pop culture. Peter Billingsley delivers a brilliant, endlessly charismatic performance as Ralphie Parker, a nine-year-old boy in 1940s Indiana on a single-minded quest to receive a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Billingsley masterfully executes the comedic neuroses, wild daydreams, and domestic battles of mid-century childhood, creating a pitch-perfect holiday classic.

Dec 09, 1983 (US Wide Release) -- Marvin & Tige (Weston), film -- Gibran Brown -- A poignant, heartwarming independent drama that addresses loss and unconventional companionship. Eleven-year-old Gibran Brown gives a powerful, deeply touching performance as Tige, an impoverished Black orphan who is saved from a suicide attempt following his mother's death by Marvin, a heavy-drinking white widower (John Cassavetes). Brown shines as a deeply guarded, traumatized child who slowly learns to build an unbreakable, father-son bond with an equally broken adult.

1984

Sept 21, 1984 (US Wide Release) -- Places in the Heart (Benton), film -- Yankton Hatten & Gennie James -- An intense and superb historical drama set in 1930s Texas during the Great Depression. Young actors Yankton Hatten (Frank) and Gennie James (Possum) deliver remarkably naturalistic and touching performances as the small children of Edna Spalding (Sally Field), a woman suddenly left widowed. Alongside a makeshift community composed of a Black farmhand and a blind veteran, the children actively participate in the grueling cotton harvest to save the family farm, witnessing the violence of the Ku Klux Klan and the devastation of a tornado.

March 29, 1984 (Netherlands Wide Release) -- Ciske de Rat (Pieters), film -- Danny de Munk -- One of the most famous and heartbreaking gems of Dutch cinema. Young Danny de Munk delivers a visceral and unforgettable performance as Ciske, a rebellious, neglected street urchin with a "street rat" persona in 1930s Amsterdam. Tormented by a cruel, alcoholic mother, Ciske hides a heart of gold beneath his brash exterior. Danny de Munk (who also sings the film's famous, melancholy main theme) beautifully conveys the desperate loneliness of a child searching for redemption, right up until a tragic domestic catastrophe irrevocably shatters his childhood.

April 6, 1984 (West Germany Wide Release) / July 20, 1984 (US Wide Release) -- The NeverEnding Story (Petersen), film -- Barret Oliver, Noah Hathaway & Tami Stronach -- An absolute masterpiece of the European dark fantasy genre that shaped the imagination of the 1980s. Barret Oliver is masterful as Bastian, a shy, grieving boy who takes refuge in a school attic to read an ancient book. The pages drag him into the mythical realm of Fantasia, where the brave warrior Atreyu, played by an athletic and charismatic Noah Hathaway, fights against the Nothing to save the Childlike Empress—to whom young Tami Stronach infuses an ethereal, solemn grace, creating a powerful metaphor for the saving value of dreams against cynicism.

## April 11, 1984 (France Wide Release) / November 14, 1984 (US Wide Release) -- A Sunday in the Country (Tavernier), film -- Katia Wostrikoff -- A beautifully shot, delicate, and deeply moving French period drama that relies on a child's natural presence to highlight generational dynamics. Nine-year-old Katia Wostrikoff delivers an incredibly sweet, spontaneous, and unforced performance as Mireille, the beloved granddaughter of an elderly, traditional painter spending a quiet Sunday at his country estate. Wostrikoff's bright energy, innocent mischief, and affectionate interactions with her grandfather provide the absolute emotional heart of the film, capturing the fleeting, fragile beauty of childhood innocence against the creeping melancholy of old age and changing artistic eras.

May 23, 1984 (US Wide Release) -- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Spielberg), film -- Jonathan Ke Quan -- One of the most fast-paced, dark, and beloved adventure films of the 1980s. A very young, high-energy Jonathan Ke Quan makes a dazzling cinematic debut as Short Round, the loyal, clever, and witty twelve-year-old sidekick to Indiana Jones. Ke Quan literally steals the show in every frame, combining irresistible slapstick comedy with moments of genuine physical courage and fierce loyalty, especially when he must break the black sleep of Kali incantation that has subjugated his iconic mentor in the grim catacombs of the Thuggee cult.

June 08, 1984 (US Wide Release) -- Gremlins (Dante), film -- Corey Feldman -- A hilarious and biting comedy-horror executive produced by Steven Spielberg that redefined holiday entertainment cinema. While not the main protagonist, a very young Corey Feldman delivers a brilliant performance as Pete Fountaine, Billy's young friend who unintentionally triggers the disaster by accidentally spilling water onto the gentle Mogwai, Gizmo. Feldman perfectly embodies the spirit of an 1980s suburban kid, serving as a close witness to the anarchic, destructive chaos unleashed by the monstrous creatures upon the fictional town of Kingston Falls.

June 22, 1984 (US Wide Release) -- The Karate Kid (Avildsen), film -- Ralph Macchio & William Zabka -- A generational triumph of sports and coming-of-age cinema. Although the main characters are transitioning out of childhood and into adolescence, the film stands as the definitive archetype of a "Rocky for kids." Ralph Macchio shines with vulnerability and determination as Daniel LaRusso, a young teen targeted by bullies from the Cobra Kai dojo, led by Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Under the guidance of the wise and eccentric handyman Mr. Miyagi, the story transforms into an unforgettable lesson on overcoming adversity, discipline, and finding inner balance.

October 4, 1984 (RaiDue TV Premiere) -- Cuore (Comencini), TV miniseries -- Carlo Calenda -- A fundamental pillar of Italian television masterfully directed with deep sensitivity by Luigi Comencini, adapted from the celebrated novel by Edmondo De Amicis. In the role of the protagonist and narrator, Enrico Bottini, a very young Carlo Calenda carries the entire narrative architecture of the series with extraordinary ease. Surrounded by a formidable cast of children (notably the raw energy of classmates like Franti and Garrone), Calenda perfectly embodies the curious, innocent, and gradually maturing gaze of late 19th-century Piedmontese youth, restoring fresh truth to a classic otherwise at risk of heavy rhetoric.

1985

Feb 08, 1985 (US Wide Release) -- Witness (Weir), film -- Lukas Haas -- A highly tense and critically acclaimed psychological thriller directed by Peter Weir. A very young Lukas Haas delivers a performance of astonishing intensity and quiet composure as Samuel Lapham, a small Amish boy who accidentally witnesses the brutal murder of a police officer in a train station restroom. With his wide, innocent eyes, Haas commands the screen, serving as the protective center around whom detective John Book (Harrison Ford) navigates a violent, traumatic clash between a peaceful Amish world and modern corruption.

May 17, 1985 (US Wide Release) -- D.A.R.Y.L. (Wincer), film -- Barret Oliver -- A highly enjoyable and iconic 1980s sci-fi family thriller. Barret Oliver solidifies his status as a defining child actor of the decade by masterfully portraying Daryl, a seemingly normal amnesiac boy who is actually a highly sophisticated military bio-robotic prototype equipped with a supercomputer brain. The brilliance of Oliver's performance lies in his ability to balance the character's extraordinary abilities with a desperate, moving human need for affection, friendship, and domestic normalcy within the foster family that takes him in.

June 07, 1985 (US Wide Release) -- The Goonies (Donner), film -- Sean Astin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman & Martha Plimpton -- The quintessential childhood adventure film. The incredible chemistry of the very young ensemble cast relies on the enthusiasm of Sean Astin (Mikey, the dreamer guided by One-Eyed Willy's treasure map), the overwhelming comedic charm of Jeff Cohen (the unforgettable Chunk, creator of the "Truffle Shuffle"), the brash fast-talking of Corey Feldman (Mouth), and the sharp maturity of Martha Plimpton (Stef). Their subterranean odyssey through pirate booby traps and chasing criminals stands as a definitive manifesto on childhood loyalty and camaraderie.

June 21, 1985 (US Wide Release) -- Cocoon (Howard), film -- Barret Oliver -- A massive commercial success and a triumph of heartwarming science fiction directed by Ron Howard. At the peak of his career as a child star, Barret Oliver portrays David, a bright and caring young boy spending his summer vacation in Florida with his grandparents (Wilford Brimley and Maureen Stapleton). David becomes the only child to discover the secret of the Antarean aliens and their rejuvenating swimming pool. Oliver's acting infuses the film with extraordinary tenderness, serving as a vital emotional bridge and a silent accomplice to his beloved grandparents' newly recaptured youth.

July 12, 1985 (US Wide Release) -- Explorers (Dante), film -- Ethan Hawke & River Phoenix -- A visionary and poetic sci-fi adventure that celebrates the wonder of youth imagination. The film is historically memorable for launching the big-screen debuts of two future cinematic icons: a very young, enthusiastic Ethan Hawke (Ben) and a prodigious River Phoenix as the young child scientist, Wolfgang. Alongside Jason Presson, the three boys convert their vivid dreams into a real electronic circuit, building a homemade spaceship out of a junked amusement park ride to launch themselves into deep space—offering a wonderfully bizarre and nostalgic snapshot of 1980s childhood.

September 8, 1985 (Toronto International Film Festival World Premiere) / December 5, 1985 (US Wide Release) -- The Journey of Natty Gann (Kagan), film -- Meredith Salenger -- An adventurous and poignant live-action Disney gem set during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Fifteen-year-old Meredith Salenger delivers a remarkably determined performance as Natty, a courageous tomboy who embarks on a dangerous 2,000-mile journey hopping freight trains to find her father. Accompanied by a young John Cusack and protected by a fierce wolf dog, Salenger provides a portrait of rare grit and vulnerability, facing hunger and the perils of the road with a maturity that makes the film an undisputed classic of childhood survival and adventure.

December 11, 1985 (US Wide Release) -- The Color Purple (Spielberg), film -- Akosua Busia & Desreta Jackson -- A sweeping, deeply moving period drama masterpiece adapted from Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Fourteen-year-old Desreta Jackson delivers a devastatingly powerful, raw, and critically acclaimed performance as the young Celie Harris, carrying the film's entire first act alongside a brilliant teenage Akosua Busia as her sister, Nettie. Jackson beautifully captures the profound trauma, quiet resilience, and shattering vulnerability of a young girl subjected to horrific domestic abuse and forced separation from her sister, establishing the indispensable emotional baseline for the entire decades-spanning cinematic narrative.

December 12, 1985 (Sweden Wide Release) -- My Life as a Dog (Hallström), film -- Anton Glanzelius & Melinda Kinnaman -- A Swedish masterpiece of rare emotional sensitivity that earned two Academy Award nominations. Young Anton Glanzelius delivers a performance of extraordinary honesty as Ingemar, a twelve-year-old boy who is sent away to live with his aunt and uncle in a rural village to escape the trauma of his mother’s terminal illness. There, he forms a budding friendship with the memorable Saga (a brilliant Melinda Kinnaman), a tomboy who disguises herself as a boy so she can box. Glanzelius navigates the complex pains of growing up using humor, coping by comparing his own small dramas to tragic historical events like the Soviet space dog Laika.

Dec 20, 1985 (US Wide Release) -- Enemy Mine (Petersen), film -- Bumper Robinson -- An atmospheric and deep work of science fiction centered on tolerance and overcoming prejudice. In the second half of the film, a very young Bumper Robinson delivers a performance of extraordinary intensity and delicacy as Zammis, the alien child of the Drac race born on a hostile planet. Acting under heavy prosthetic makeup, Robinson beautifully transmits an endearing innocence and vulnerability, building a profound and visceral father-son bond with the human starfighter pilot (Dennis Quaid) who adopts and raises him.

1986

## Mar 28, 1986 (US Wide Release) -- Lucas (Seltzer), film -- Corey Haim -- A deeply moving, tender, and authentic coming-of-age romantic comedy-drama highly praised as one of the finest cinematic portrayals of adolescence. Fourteen-year-old Corey Haim delivers a tour-de-force, career-defining performance as Lucas Blye, a highly intelligent but socially awkward outcast navigating the devastating sting of unrequited love and high school bullying. Haim infuses the character with extraordinary vulnerability, raw heartbreak, and fierce determination, culminating in a legendary, high-stakes attempt to earn respect by joining the school football team.

## Jun 27, 1986 (US Wide Release) -- Labyrinth (Henson), film -- Jennifer Connelly -- A visually spectacular and imaginative dark fantasy masterpiece that places a young actress at the center of a mesmerizing, surreal odyssey. Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Connelly delivers a brilliant, deeply resonant performance as Sarah, an imaginative teenager who accidentally summons the Goblin King to take her baby stepbrother away. Holding her own flawlessly against David Bowie's charismatic screen presence, Connelly serves as the essential emotional anchor of the film, beautifully tracking a complex transition from childish resentment and escapism into maturity, personal responsibility, and inner strength.

July 14, 1986 (Los Angeles World Premiere) / July 18, 1986 (US Wide Release) -- Aliens (Cameron), film -- Carrie Henn -- One of the most extraordinary and acclaimed sci-fi action thrillers in cinema history. Even though it is a high-octane, high-tension film, the true emotional core of the story relies heavily on the remarkable performance of young Carrie Henn as Newt—a nine-year-old girl who remains the sole, heroic survivor of a space colony wiped out by Xenomorphs. The visceral and protective maternal bond that develops between her and protagonist Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) infuses the film with exceptional human truth and sentiment amidst the chaotic combat.

July 30, 1986 (US Limited Premiere) / August 1, 1986 (US Wide Release) -- Flight of the Navigator (Kleiser), film -- Joey Cramer -- An unforgettable science-fiction adventure cult classic from the 1980s produced by Disney. Very young Joey Cramer delivers an exceptional performance as David Freeman, a 12-year-old boy who, after losing consciousness in a forest in 1978, awakens seemingly just minutes later only to discover he is in the year 1986. While the world and his family have aged eight years, David has remained exactly the same, turning him into the only key capable of unlocking the mysteries of a crashed alien spacecraft discovered by NASA.

August 6, 1986 (Los Angeles World Premiere) / August 8, 1986 (US Limited Release) / August 22, 1986 (US Wide Release) -- Stand by Me (Reiner), film -- Wil Wheaton & River Phoenix -- The absolute masterpiece and manifesto of 1980s coming-of-age cinema, adapted from a celebrated novella by Stephen King. An extraordinary ensemble cast of four twelve-year-old actors led by Wil Wheaton (Gordie) and the late River Phoenix (Chris) delivers an unforgettable chemistry and overwhelming emotional honesty. Set in the summer of 1959, the film follows their trek along railroad tracks in search of a missing boy's body, transforming a boyhood adventure into a profound meditation on mortality, loyalty, and the irrevocable loss of innocence.

1987

Feb 01, 1987 -- Where Is the Friend's House? (Kiarostami), film -- Babek Ahmed Poor & Ahmed Ahmed Poor -- A cornerstone of the New Iranian Cinema filmed entirely with non-professional child actors. The beautifully quiet, poetic narrative follows eight-year-old Ahmed, who accidentally takes home his classmate's school notebook. Defying his mother's orders to avoid a harsh punishment for his friend, he embarks on an arduous, determined journey across winding rural villages to return it.

February 20, 1987 (Soviet Union Wide Release) / August 29, 1987 (Japan Wide Release) -- Come and See / Idi i smotri (Elem Klimov), film -- Aleksey Kravchenko -- A devastating, raw, and monumental Soviet anti-war masterpiece widely considered one of the most intense cinematic experiences ever filmed. Fourteen-year-old Aleksey Kravchenko delivers a harrowing, transcendent performance as Flyora, a young Belarusian boy who joins the Soviet resistance movement against the Nazi occupation during World War II. Kravchenko’s performance is a tour-de-force of physical and emotional endurance, literally aging decades on screen as his face transforms from youthful innocence into a mask of pure existential shock and silent horror amidst the atrocities.

August 14, 1987 (US Wide Release) -- The Monster Squad (Dekker), film -- Andre Gower & Ashley Bank -- A fun, nostalgic, and deeply beloved childhood horror-adventure comedy co-written by Shane Black. The film boasts a tightly knit ensemble cast of very young actors led by Andre Gower (Sean) and young Ashley Bank (Phoebe) as a group of kids obsessed with horror movies. When the legendary Count Dracula arrives in their American suburb and gathers classic literary monsters to conquer the world, the "Monster Squad" must rely on their movie knowledge and an ancient diary to save their town.

August 14, 1987 (US Limited Release) -- Lionheart: The Children's Crusade (Schaffner), film -- Eric Stoltz & Gabriel Byrne -- An atmospheric and ambitious historical adventure loosely inspired by the tragic medieval events of the Children's Crusade, directed by the filmmaker behind Planet of the Apes and enriched by a splendid score from Jerry Goldsmith. Eric Stoltz stars as Robert Nerra, a young exiled knight who finds his faith and courage by leading a vast, defenseless caravan of orphaned children. The plot unfolds as a long journey toward the coast in a desperate attempt to protect the little ones from the clutches of the Black Prince (Gabriel Byrne), a disillusioned, villainous knight who intends to capture them for the slave trade.

August 21, 1987 (Montreal World Film Festival World Premiere) / September 3, 1987 (UK Premiere) / October 16, 1987 (US Wide Release) -- Hope and Glory (Boorman), film -- Sebastian Rice-Edwards -- A splendid and multi-award-winning semi-autobiographical comedy-drama. Young Sebastian Rice-Edwards masterfully portrays Bill Rowan, a nine-year-old boy who experiences World War II and the London Blitz not as a tragedy, but as a giant, exciting, and glorious adventure. Through the innocent, candid eyes of the young protagonist, destroyed houses and flattened schools transform into an immense, open-air playground for collecting bomb shrapnel and exploring the rubble.

August 22, 1987 (Century City World Premiere) / February 12, 1988 (US Wide Release) -- A Tiger's Tale (Douglas), film -- C. Thomas Howell & Kelly Preston -- A quirky and eccentric coming-of-age comedy-drama set in deep-suburban Texas, based on the novel Love and Other Natural Disasters. C. Thomas Howell plays Bubber Drumm, an eccentric high school senior who ends up entangled in a complicated, unpredictable, and scandalous romantic affair with Rose (Ann-Margret), a charming, alcoholic woman twice his age who happens to be the mother of his own girlfriend, Shirley (Kelly Preston). The film navigates the bizarre, chaotic domestic complications of this pre-adult romance, complete with the constant presence of a pet tiger named Valentino.

August 29, 1987 (Venice Film Festival World Premiere) / October 7, 1987 (France Wide Release) -- Au revoir les enfants (Malle), film -- Gaspard Manesse & Raphaël Fejtő -- A French autobiographical masterpiece of agonizing and heartbreaking intensity. Young actors Gaspard Manesse (Julien) and Raphaël Fejtő (Jean) deliver two performances of extraordinary naturalness and sensitivity. Set in 1944 inside a Catholic boarding school, the film chronicles the birth of a deep intellectual bond and friendship between a bourgeois boy and a mysterious new classmate, who is eventually revealed to be a Jewish child hidden by the priests to escape Nazi deportation.

Sep 25, 1987 -- The Princess Bride (Reiner), film -- Fred Savage -- A delightfully brilliant, postmodern fantasy-comedy masterpiece that uses a unique metafictional framing device. An eleven-year-old Fred Savage anchors the film's heartwarming reality as a sick, skeptical contemporary boy who slowly forgets his video games and becomes entirely captivated by the sweeping, swashbuckling story of true love read aloud by his grandfather.

November 23, 1987 (NBC Television World Premiere) -- Lena: My 100 Children (Sherin), film -- Torquil Campbell & Megan Fahlenbock -- A touching and emotional historical television drama directed by Edwin Sherin. While Linda Lavin portrays the main protagonist, Lena Kuchler-Silberman, the movie relies completely on its large, extraordinary ensemble cast of child actors (including Torquil Campbell and a very young Megan Fahlenbock) for its emotional weight. The narrative follows a courageous Jewish teacher who, in the immediate aftermath of World War II in Poland, gathers and adopts a hundred starving children left orphaned and traumatized by the Holocaust, fighting local anti-Semitic violence to lead them on a thrilling exodus toward Israel.

December 9, 1987 (Beverly Hills Premiere) / December 11, 1987 (US Wide Release) -- Empire of the Sun (Spielberg), film -- Christian Bale -- A monumental, moving, and ambitious wartime epic directed by Steven Spielberg. A very young, prodigious Christian Bale delivers a legendary, tour-de-force performance as Jamie "Jim" Graham, a wealthy British boy living in Shanghai who is dramatically separated from his parents during the Japanese invasion of World War II. Bale beautifully embodies the painful, traumatic transition from spoiled childhood innocence to a raw struggle for survival inside an internment camp, earning a special juvenile acting award from the National Board of Review created specifically for his performance.

December 16, 1987 (US Wide Release) -- Overboard (Marshall), film -- Jared Rushton, Jeffrey Wiseman, Brian Price & Jamie Wild -- A celebrated and hilarious romantic screwball comedy directed by Garry Marshall. Although the headlining stars are Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, the film relies heavily on the wild, high-energy performances of its child actor quartet—Brian Price, Jared Rushton, Jamie Wild, and Jeffrey Wiseman—as the four unruly, undisciplined, and messy sons of working-class carpenter Dean. The boys steal every scene they are in, allying with their father to execute a comedic "punishment" against a spoiled, amnesiac heiress by gaslighting her into believing she is their mother.

Dec 21, 1987 (Denmark Wide Release) -- Pelle the Conqueror / Pelle Erobreren (August), film -- Pelle Hvenegaard -- An epic Scandinavian dramatic masterpiece that won both the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the Palme d'Or. Young Pelle Hvenegaard delivers an extraordinary, highly grounded performance starring alongside Max von Sydow. Set in the late 19th-century, the film follows an aging Swedish widower and his young son who emigrate to Denmark in search of a better life, only to find themselves working under brutal, unforgiving conditions on a large estate. Hvenegaard's performance captures with painful truth the forced maturity of a child who, despite harsh mistreatment, preserves an unyielding hope to one day "conquer" the world.

1988

## May 15, 1988 (Cannes Film Festival World Premiere) / June 17, 1988 (US Limited Release) -- A World Apart (Menges), film -- Jodhi May -- A devastating and profoundly moving British anti-apartheid drama based on the real-life childhood of screenwriter Shawn Slovo. Twelve-year-old Jodhi May delivers a tour-de-force, historically monumental film debut as Molly Roth, a young white girl growing up in 1963 South Africa. May carries the entire film's psychological perspective, masterfully portraying a child caught between intense resentment over her activist mother's apparent neglect and a creeping, mature realization of the brutal political realities surrounding her. Her astonishingly mature performance made history when she became the youngest actress ever to win the prestigious Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.

September 7, 1988 (New York City Premiere) / September 9, 1988 (US Wide Release) -- Running on Empty (Lumet), film -- River Phoenix & Martha Plimpton -- -- River Phoenix & Martha Plimpton -- An intense and superb family drama centered on loyalty, ideological inheritance, and the painful path toward adulthood. River Phoenix delivers a masterful, Academy Award-nominated performance as Danny Pope, the eldest son of a counterculture couple who have spent fifteen years living underground to evade the FBI. Flanked by Martha Plimpton, Phoenix beautifully embodies the heartbreaking dilemma of a prodigious teenage pianist forced to choose between pursuing his own musical calling and love or remaining tied to a family forever on the run, where emancipation means a permanent separation.

Sep 13, 1988 -- Salaam Bombay! (Nair), film -- Shafiq Syed & Hansa Vithal -- Mira Nair's electric and deeply empathetic directorial debut shot on location in the gritty underbelly of Mumbai's slums. Utilizing real street children who participated in intensive theatrical workshops prior to filming, the narrative follows an abandoned 11-year-old boy named Krishna working as a tea delivery boy while navigating a chaotic world of survival, theft, and marginalized street companions.

## September 16, 1988 (US Limited Release) -- The Wizard of Loneliness (Whitemore), film -- Lukas Haas -- A quiet, atmospheric, and deeply moving independent period drama set during World War II. Following his breakout in Witness, a twelve-year-old Lukas Haas delivers a profoundly complex, front-and-center performance as Wendall Oler, a deeply cynical, resentful, and emotionally guarded boy sent to live with his rural grandparents while his father serves overseas. Haas completely dominates the narrative arc, portraying a deeply traumatized child who uses cold intellect and behavioral defiance to shield his immense grief, slowly undergoing a beautifully subtle and earned emotional thawing as he uncovers dark family secrets.

September 29, 1988 (Bari EuropaCinema Festival Premiere) / November 17, 1988 (Italy Wide Release) -- Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (Tornatore), film -- Salvatore Cascio -- A monumental triumph of Italian cinema, winner of the Special Grand Prize of the Jury at Cannes and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Young Salvatore Cascio delivers a legendary, spontaneous, and extraordinarily moving performance as Totò, an 8-year-old boy growing up in a war-torn Sicilian village who finds solace in the projection booth of the local movie house. His deep, visceral friendship with the gruff but wise projectionist Alfredo (Philippe Noiret) constitutes the beating heart of an unforgettable love letter to the magic of the silver screen.

Oct 18, 1988 (ABC Network Premiere) -- Roseanne (Williams/Various), TV series -- Sara Gilbert & Michael Fishman -- A revolutionary television series destined to rewrite the rules of American situational comedy for an entire decade. Through the chaotic daily life of the Conner family in Lanford, Illinois, the series explores the financial hardships of the working class with fierce blue-collar realism and sharp wit. Within the rich ensemble of children, the talents of Sara Gilbert (as the unforgettable, sarcastic tomboy Darlene) and young Michael Fishman (D.J.) shine brightly, infusing a cynical freshness and disarming truth that stood in stark contrast to the sanitized families of television at the time.

December 8, 1988 (West Germany World Premiere) / March 10, 1989 (US Wide Release) -- The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (Gilliam), film -- Sarah Polley -- A visionary, bizarre, and lavish dark fantasy fable directed with the overflowing visual anarchy of Terry Gilliam. A very young and remarkably determined Sarah Polley stars as Sally Salt, the brave daughter of a theater company manager in a city under siege. Sally is the only child who believes the improbable, colossal tales of the legendary, elderly Baron Munchausen, embarking with him on a wild, fantastical journey—from the belly of a giant sea monster to the Moon—to save the city from defeat.

1989

Jun 23, 1989 (US Wide Release) -- Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (Johnston), film -- Thomas Wilson Brown, Jared Rushton, Amy O'Neill & Robert Oliveri -- The dazzling directorial debut of visual effects artist Joe Johnston for Disney, which transformed into a massive commercial blockbuster of its time. The film relies entirely on the remarkable chemistry of its quartet of young actors portraying the Szalinski siblings and their next-door neighbors, who are accidentally shrunk to a height of a quarter of an inch by their inventor father's experimental electromagnetic ray. The movie is highly memorable for the ingenuity of its oversized scale sets and the freshness with which the children play out this perilous survival odyssey in their backyard amidst giant insects and lawnmowers.

## July 31, 1989 (Orlando World Premiere) / August 2, 1989 (US Wide Release) -- Parenthood (Howard), film -- Joaquin Phoenix & Jasen Fisher -- A highly acclaimed, bittersweet, and brilliant comedy-drama masterpiece that serves as an unmatched study of multi-generational family dynamics. While supported by a massive adult ensemble, the narrative's rawest emotional weight hinges on its child actors. A twelve-year-old Joaquin Phoenix (credited then as Leaf Phoenix) delivers a heartbreakingly mature and vulnerable performance as Garry, a withdrawn, rebellious boy processing the trauma of his parents' divorce. Alongside young Jasen Fisher (Kevin), whose anxiety-driven performance as a pressured elementary schooler drives his father's (Steve Martin) entire character arc, the children deliver a profound masterclass on how heavily adult expectations reshape the innocence of youth.

Aug 16, 1989 (US Wide Release) -- Uncle Buck (Hughes), film -- Macaulay Culkin & Gaby Hoffmann -- One of the most iconic and beloved family comedy-dramas written and directed by John Hughes. Well before achieving global superstardom with Home Alone, a prodigious Macaulay Culkin makes his first major cinematic exploit here as Miles Russell, starring alongside a very young Gaby Hoffmann. The two young actors command the screen, showcasing extraordinary fast-talking wit and perfect comedic timing in their memorable close-up interactions with their eccentric, slovenly, yet deeply caring bachelor Uncle Buck (the unforgettable John Candy).

Dec 15, 1989 (US Wide Release) -- The Wizard (Holland), film -- Luke Edwards & Fred Savage -- A deeply nostalgic childhood adventure cult classic that captured the imagination of young gamers of the era, famous for serving as the official launchpad for the video game Super Mario Bros. 3. Young Luke Edwards delivers an intense and delicate performance as Jimmy Woods, a deeply traumatized and withdrawn boy who runs away from home with the help of his older brother Corey (1980s star Fred Savage). During their cross-country road trip to California, they discover Jimmy is an absolute video game prodigy and team up to have him compete in the ultimate high-stakes gaming tournament in America.