Superheroes Unite! Bullying Is Everyone’s Problem.
Bullying films come and go, but some stay with you longer than others. They stay in your mind, your heart, they open you to new ways of looking at things.
How To Unmake A Bully: Bystanders, affected me in this way. It isn’t just a film about standing up to bullies, or about how to change everyone around you. It is a call to action. Reminding us as friends to notice and to care.
This recently endorsed title from MOVIEQUEST Productions is a must-see for all elementary school kids, administrators, teachers and recess staff. It tells the story of three friends who enlist classmates in a heroic journey toward providing super-powered backup to targets of bullying. One student battles his inner doubts as to whether or not he can ever be a hero. It is a sequel to the short film How To Unmake A Bully.
Both our Adult and Child KIDS FIRST! Jurors benefited from this film. “Kids use their “super powers” and huge imagination to fight against real life issues of bullying. They show us how being a bystander is just an opportunity to make a choice: to help or to ignore. By bonding together they effectively take the power out of the hands of kids making bad choices and face their fears as a team. This is a powerful message, empowering kids to help each other and know when it is right to ask for help from adults. Having an elementary-school aged kid myself, I know this would make a huge impression on him, but it’s clear that having other kids to back you up can make all the difference. I hope every school in America will show this to their students and staff, even parents. It makes me feel as if every child can be a hero – and now I know the perfect after-school program: superhero workshop!”
“This may not be the kids’ all-time favorite movie, but it does get them talking! It made them think and discuss ways to deal with bullying at school. One child admitted, “I never really thought that it was bad to just stand by and do nothing, but now I know it’s almost as bad as being the bully.” It seemed to change their outlook, and that’s a great thing! “My favorite part is how they work together and show examples of what can be done” said another Child Juror, while another confessed, “I was bullied last year and some friends stood up for me, so I know what it is like.”
