Identity, a short film from writer/director Kalhil KJ Adames, depicts a fictional world in which everyone wears masks as the result of a lack of self-identity. The main character is a high school girl who starts out vaguely aware of how problematic this masked standard is, but as the film progresses, she clearly develops a stronger and stronger sense of individual identity that causes her to question everything around her. The use of masks in
Identity stands as a strong metaphor for the way people learn to hide behind facades and alter their identities to gain acceptance from peers - a phenomenon of human nature that is especially present during the younger years spent in school. Adames created
Identity specifically as a message to the youth of the world who are in school; he wanted this film to be a reminder that society does not define an individual, but rather an individual defines himself or herself by discovering internal truth.
Children and teenagers are especially susceptible to developing issues of identity, especially at school where the pressure to conform and be accepted is almost unrivaled. For many children, it's terrifying to be perceived as noticeably different from your peers; the threat of being ridiculed or excluded causes many children to develop "safe" identities that help them blend in with the masses. With this in mind, it's important to remember to encourage children to be confident in themselves and to praise them for being open-minded towards and accepting of each other. Helping children to understand acceptance and to value individuality from an early age can ultimately help reduce the amount of bullying we see in schools, and Identity does a wonderful job of advocating this perspective.
What did you think of Identity? As a parent, is this something you would show your child? Do you think that showing films like this in schools could help reduce bullying? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Share
Tweet