Astronaut

Joost seems like any ordinary 10-year-old boy who goes to school and likes to play outside. But Joost is different, because he has Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). There is so much going on in his head that he finds it very difficult to concentrate. That is why he works in a separate corner at school and has to obey loads of rules. He also takes medication and regularly does Neurofeedback, in which his brain is connected with wires to a computer so that he can steer flying saucers in cyberspace and train himself to stay calm. Nobody in Joost's class knows that he has ADHD, because both he and his mother are scared that he will be teased if they find out. But it becomes increasingly difficult for Joost to keep the secret. "Sometimes I feel as if I'm not with other people, as if I can't reach them." Together, director Anneloor van Heemstra and Joost explain what ADHD is and what the world looks like to someone who has it: there are scenes from Joost's life that he filmed himself, and he talks about his disorder in interviews. The film's fast-paced editing also reflects the chaotic world inside Joost's head, and the footage is often accompanied by strange sounds or voices talking over one another. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)