What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedYouth
Paolo Sorrentino · Film · 2015
If you loved Youth, start with The Young Pope (Paolo Sorrentino, 2016) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Youth across media.
If the wistful, reflective atmosphere of Youth captivated you, you will appreciate these stories that explore the delicate intersection of aging, memory, and artistic legacy.
Books on the same thread
My Friends
Fredrik Backman · Book · 2025
Shares 2 threads with Youth: Friendship, Aging.
Much like the lifelong bond featured in Youth, this novel examines how deep-seated friendships evolve over time and carry the weight of shared memories into the later years.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Atul Gawande · Book · 2015
Shares 2 threads with Youth: Mortality, Aging.
While Youth captures the emotional experience of aging through fiction, this book offers a grounded, poignant look at the reality of mortality that informs those same existential questions.
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
James Joyce · Book · 2022
Explores: artistic awakening, religious disillusionment, Irish nationalism.
If you were drawn to the artistic introspection of the characters in Youth, you will find a similar depth in this classic exploration of identity and creative development.
The Sound of the Mountain
Yasunari Kawabata · Book · 2013
Explores: aging and mortality, memory and nostalgia, familial alienation.
This novel mirrors the meditative pace of Youth, offering a beautiful and somber look at an elderly man confronting the transience of life and his own fading memories.
Series on the same thread
The Young Pope
Paolo Sorrentino · Series · 2016
Explores: faith and doubt, power dynamics, corruption.
Experience more of the director's unique visual and thematic language seen in Youth, this time applied to the power dynamics and spiritual crises within the Vatican walls.
My Brilliant Friend
Saverio Costanzo · Series · 2018
Explores: Female Friendship, Childhood, Memory.
The reflection on a long-standing friendship that anchors Youth is mirrored here, as an elderly woman looks back on a formative relationship that defined her entire life.
The Kominsky Method
Chuck Lorre · Series · 2018
Shares 3 threads with Youth: Aging, Mortality, Friendship.
This series captures the same bittersweet humor found in Youth, focusing on aging professionals in the entertainment industry as they navigate the realities of their fading relevance.
Master of None
Alan Yang · Series · 2015
Explores: Dating in the modern age, Existential crisis, Career aspirations.
If the younger perspective in Youth intrigued you, this show provides a modern, existential look at career aspirations and the messy transition into true adulthood and maturity.
Podcasts on the same thread
Locarno Meets
Podcast
Explores: cinema history, film analysis, artistic process.
These candid conversations with legendary filmmakers offer the same intellectual engagement with the artistic process that drives the central characters in the film Youth.
StoryCorps
NPR · Podcast
Explores: empathy, intergenerational connection, life lessons.
These unscripted oral histories echo the intimate, philosophical dialogues between friends in Youth, focusing on the shared human experiences of love, loss, and the passage of time.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the premise of Youth?
Youth follows two lifelong friends, Fred and Mick, as they vacation at a luxury Swiss Alps lodge. While Fred contemplates retirement and resists returning to his musical career, Mick works to complete a final screenplay for his muse, Brenda, while their friend Jimmy searches for artistic inspiration.
Who are the primary characters in Youth?
The core characters in Youth include the composer Fred, who is urged by his daughter Lena to resume his career, and the filmmaker Mick, who is focused on his final project. They are joined by their friend Jimmy, an actor who is struggling to find meaning in his work.
Where does the story of Youth take place?
The narrative of Youth is set at a luxury lodge located in the Swiss Alps. This isolated environment serves as the backdrop for the two protagonists to reflect on their long lives, their professional legacies, and their future plans while on vacation.
What is the central conflict for Fred in Youth?
In Youth, Fred struggles with the decision to remain retired or resume his musical career. Despite the persistent encouragement from his daughter Lena, he remains hesitant to return to music, contrasting with his friend Mick, who is actively working to complete his final important film.