JUST KIDS -

SMASHING STEREOTYPES

What is just kids?

GEC Collective Member and Film director Alessandro Riconda has teamed up with the GEC on his new short film “Just Kids”, which is all about #SmashingStereotypes. Alessandro has invited our GEC education members to get involved. How? Students can show how they are being ‘just kids’ and ‘smashing stereotypes’ as a chance to be involved in his new film!

WHO IS ALESSANDRO RICONDA?

Alessandro Riconda. His early amateur work was broadcasted by BBC, FOX, MTV and Comedy Central, but he is best known for the short film “Shame and glasses”, which was an official selection in over 200 festivals including the Academy qualifying TIFF Kids, Chicago Children’s Int Film Festival and Guanajuato Film Festival, and won the “Best Overall” award at Chicago Int. Film Festival’s Cineyouth section. The short was also acquired by HBO Europe and MoMA New York, and it is still being showing at festivals and on TV channels around the world. He works as a freelance script coordinator, script reader and director’s assistant for Film and HETV Drama while developing a slate of short film and TV projects. My credits include “The Peripheral”, “Master of None”, “Brave New World”, “Disobedience” (dir. Sebastian Lelio) and “Military Wives” (dir. Peter Cattaneo).

FILM Synopsis

Seven-year-old Alisha is the only girl in her football team. Each new game comes with new boys who are not ready to lose against her, making her experience frustrating rather than enjoyable. But one day she plays against Ben, who even refuses to shake her hand before the match and spits on the ground. He is not a violent boy, but he feels the weight of his mother’s expectations and develops violent behaviour to cope with the pressure. Alisha and Ben end up physically fighting in the changing room when Alisha seeks revenge by slamming the doll she finds in Ben’s bag against the walls. It is Ben’s mother who eventually puts an end to the fight. She gifts the doll to Alisha — who in her words is ‘a better fit’ than Ben — and takes her crying son back to the football pitch. Ben glances back at the doll one last time, saying goodbye to that part of his character, now lost forever… Alisha is shaken from what she has just seen, but she understands: she tidies the doll up and tucks it back in Ben’s backpack. Perhaps not everything is lost yet…

WHY THIS FILM?

Gender stereotypes are the main cause of major social issues such as violence against women, high suicide rates among young men, and the gender pay gap. By the age of six, children already have a clear idea of what their role in society is and how they are supposed to behave based on their gender. Studies show that such young girls have serious self-esteem problems: they consider themselves less intelligent and capable than boys and believe certain tasks or positions of power are more suitable for boys. On the other hand, young boys struggle to express emotions and develop violent behaviour. “Just Kids” tries to show how parents and teachers could be inadvertently fuelling a negative loop that is preventing us from living in a fairer society for both women and men.

SOUNDS GREAT. I WANT TO HELP MY STUDENTS GET INTO THE FILM. WHAT DO I DO?

We are encouraging kids, parents and teachers to get #SmashingStereotypes! 

Submit your picture or video here if you want to email our office or if you want to attach directly go to the “Just Kids” website. We will features as many entries as we can here on smashingstereotypes.co.uk!

We’ll also consider you to become a crew member, extra or even a protagonist of the short film “Just Kids“.

WANT TO HELP FUND THIS?

Pop over to help fund this film here. Check out the cool rewards too!

NEED INSPIRATION?

Have a look here to see how others are #SmashingStereotypes! 

Please contact office@thegec.org and justkids.shortfilm@gmail.com if you want further information.