Educational Media Reviews Online

Premiered during Freeze Frame, a film festival held in Winnipeg, March 2000, this short dramatic film presents star quality collaborations. The award winning director, Elise Swerhone, along with writer, Nancy Trites Botkin and producer, Jennifer Torrance, have created a perfect format that will prompt much discussion in young adults from junior high through senior high school.

The plot centers on a group of high school students who want to create a day of reflection on human rights. During an assembly during Human Rights Day, a “best citizen” award will be presented to a member of the student body. Topics of discussion for this day include racism, sexism, and homophobia.

Although there are the necessary stereotypes: the homophobic jock, the never liked by anyone nerd, and the cruel classmates that taunt, these characters are portrayed as very believable and fallible. There is great sensitivity given to the very real issue of “coming out” to your closest friend, and what that knowledge can do to a lifelong friendship.

All of the vignettes work toward the final scene of the school assembly. The grand theme is to have all person accept “exactly who you are.”

Nominated for the following Blizzard Awards (Winnipeg): Best Performance by a Supporting Actor: Dov Tiefenbach as "Reggie"; Best Script: Dramatic: Nancy Trites Botkin; and Best Editing: Dramatic: Robert Lower. This film won the Blizzard Award in the Best Direction: Dramatic Short category.

Elisa Moolecherry and Cara Pifko play the two childhood friends. Both actresses portray the reality of true friendship between two athletic girls in a high school very well. The poignant story demands that they not overact, which they don’t, and the juxtaposition is splendid.

The original music, performed by Spur of the Moment, adds to reach the targeted audience of young adults. There are times when the music is simple, complex, or non-existent—A good audio treatment.

This film has been used widely in Canada for educational purposes, and was screened at Immaginaria: 9e Festival Internazionale del Cinema Lesbico in Bologna, Italy in February 2001.

Educators can use this film to teach and reach teenagers with a message of tolerance, understanding, and acceptance of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered. The video’s liner notes have curricular activities, including pre-screening and post-screening activities, which will create an ideal forum for an open dialogue in the classroom on many of the issues, not the least of which is stereotyping. Perhaps, these discussions would lead to changes in programming, curriculum, and purchases for the library/school media center’s collection.

The subject content is for grades 7 and above. This production is excellent, and is highly recommended.