Following the overwhelming success of the Eurovision Song Contest, a junior version was recently spun off. The rules are similar: national finals lead to the big night, when all the European contestants come together on a live television show judged by representatives from each participating country. There is one key difference, however, as the junior entrants must pen all of the songs they sing themselves!
This engrossing documentary follows the 2007 competition. In the first part of Sounds Like Teen Spirit: A Popumentary, we are introduced to a bevy of groups and individuals preparing for the Belgian finals. The film then tracks a number of finalists from other countries prior to their arrival in Rotterdam for the European finals. The second half of the film shows the lead-up to the finals, the event itself and the aftermath. At the end of the day, there will be only one winner, so this is very much a film about hopes and dreams, hard work and dedication – culminating in a certain sense that life and music careers are as much about overcoming setbacks as being discovered and winning instant fame.