Bullies and Bugs

In teen films class , we watched two independant short films. Both dealt with issues of homosexuality, bullying and peer pressure.

- The first film: To Play or To Die, a film about a boy named Kees who is in love with another boy named Charel. Kees is shy, nerdy and socially awkward- is shown being bullied by members of his class including Charel. One day Kees tells Charel to come over and their "play date" results in a fight and even more bullying, the outcome being Kees commiting suicide. This film is Dutch and was released in 1991.

- The second film: Bugcrush, a film abou a teenager named Ben who goes to a public school and is homosexual. Ben later meets Grant who he falls for instantly. There are two problems however : Ben is unsure if Grant is gay and Grant is a trouble maker, a rebel, and a druggy. Grant invites him over one day and explains that he has bugs in his basement that give one an ultimate high when bitten by them. Ben refuses to be involved, but Grant peer pressures him and forces the bugs on Bens body- paralyzing him in to a high and raping him. This film is American and released in 2006.

This is the first time in the course that we have watched a short film. Throughout the summer course we have watched long films and episodes of a tv show. Personally, I prefer long films because I feel they are easier to interpret and you are not left with abrupt endings and a big question mark on your head. I do however, prefer independant films over big-grossing blockbusters. I feel that independant films such as these two films take risks and adress issues not lightly, but heavily. Independant films are not afraid to break the rules, or show too much ( masturbation scene).

Both Bugrush and To Play or To Die tackle issues of teen sexuality. In both films the protagonists only have sexuality on their minds. Sexuality is the plot, the problem and the climax of both films. In the Dutch film, To Play or To Die, we are confused as to if the character is gay in the beginning. He tell his mother he's going to ask some one out from his school, later we see that he goes to an all-boys private school. I believe Bugcrush implies teen sexuality and teen culture as the following:

1) Homosexuals are labelled easily. (When Grant and his friend go in to the forest, Ben implies that he is definetly gay )
2) Sub-cultured teenagers are more likely to be dangerous ( Grant is a druggy, a goth, and a rebel)
3) American culture expresses themselves through fashion ( Grant and his friends dress in black and trench coats etc. )

The Dutch film,To Play or To Die, also implies the following:

1)Being a jock shows one's masculinity
2) its very hard to express oneself in a private school in which every one wears uniforms.
3) Bullying is an international issue, not just an American issue. Watching a foreign film reminds us that bullying is everywhere.

The Readings for these two screenings helped me analyze the adult roles in both films.

In the GLSEN publication, it is stated that " its important that teachers be made more aware of problems that students are having in school and be willing to identify themselves as resources for students who experience bullying and harrasment". In To Play or To Die, the teacher is very aware of the bullying taken place. Compared to the other movies we have watched in this course, it is a relief to see a good teacher role. The teacher doesn't just send the bully to the office, but humiliates him in front of his class. Are foreign teachers more involved than American teachers? In Bugcrush , the principle sees Grant smoking and screams at him, then was about to send Ben to detention just for smiling. Perhaps the principle should be more involved in the peer pressuring that Grant can have on Ben and other students.
The parent roles in both films are somewhat absent. However, Kees's parents are present but go to alot of parties at night, they do call up and check on him and decide to go back home when he asks him to. Grant's parents are divorced and his mom is out of town with a boyfriend he disapproves of. Grant admits that he is troubled due to this matter. Overall, the American parents and teachers are represented worse than the Dutch teachers and parents.

Marissa wrote in her blog that " the media hypes up teen issues of sex, drugs, and violence but not homosexuality bullying and so on"..maybe that is hows by the fact that these films are short and independant, metaphorically saying that they are personal and not a public issue to be tackled yet in mainstream cinema as much. This also made me think of the films Ive watched about homosexuality, and I realized there was another short film I had watched quite similar to these two films.

These movies reminded me of a short film I watched recently called Trevor. This film won an Academy Award in 1994. Trevor is about a boy who is gay and best friends with a popular school athelete ( sort of makes me thing of Kees if he were to befriend the jock). He is slowly turning feminine, and writes in his diary about the changed. Later we find out he likes the school athelete and the rumour goes around that he is gay. He then attempts to commit suicide because no one understands him, but survives the attempt and starts fresh accepting who he is and staying strong. This short film is very inspiring.
Here is the link to the film on youtube ( there are 2 parts)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aei4qUvIzbw&feature=PlayList&p=EB09B8F71885815C&index=0.

There is information on this film on this website ---> http://www.thetrevorproject.org/film.aspx