On July 22, 2011, 32-year-old right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik set off a bomb in the center of Oslo, killing eight people. Then he went to the island of Utøya, where a youth camp for members of Labor Youth was in full swing. There, he shot 69 people to death.

Director Kar Anne Moe follows four young people with political ambitions in the run-up to the school elections held shortly before the official Norwegian elections, which serve as a barometer for the national political mood. Sana is a young Muslim woman and member of the Socialist Youth League, Haakon is a member of the Youth Conservatives, Henrik belongs to the populist, right-wing Progressive Party Youth, and Johanne is a member of the governing Labor Party. Bravehearts follows the four of them during meetings, training courses, debates and in interviews, and paints a picture of an assertive generation with an optimistic attitude towards the future.

Suddenly, the film takes a completely different turn when July 22 puts an end to this open-mindedness - and not only for Johanne, who looked into the gunman's eyes on Utøya. Things get tough for Henrik, but the others' ambitions are undiminished. Especially as they are convinced that they have to speak out and fight for tolerance and diversity now more than ever.