Rites of Passage

It took me a while to get into this film because it is so different to the adult-scripted movies I'm used to watching. But I found this to be an excellent 'off-the-cuff' film made by the adolescents who star in it, as they present facets of their varied lives in a very natural way. Handhelds, no forced acting or awkward forced scripting. A young man reluctantly came to its screening on his 17th birthday, yet by the end of the film he applauded enthusiastically and praised it and started a long conversation with the film makers. To me, one measure of success of any film is its ability to stimulate people of all ages to connect with others to share life experiences, turning them into meaningful conversations with each other, which builds community. I also enjoyed hearing about the life- changing impact that the making of this film had on its young makers and stars. A movie with heart, worth watching and sharing in conversation!