Utah Teens Talk Film

     The film, Words from a Bear, describes the life and influence of N. Scott Momaday. N. Scott Momaday is a Native American poet who has written extensively about Native sovereignty and their relationship to the land. He was awarded the Pulitzer prize in 1969 for Fiction, as well as the National Medal of Arts in 2007. He is one of the most well known Native American figures. Momaday had a passion for writing from an early age. At 8 years old, he pronounced to his family that he would like to be a writer above all else. His father was also a painter the heavily influenced his paintings in the future.

     Momaday also talks about specific Native stories and how their morals are significant even today. For example, he told the story of the Seven Sisters. It depicted 7 Native sisters and their brother who had transformed into a bear and was after them. Each of the sisters were cast as stars into the sky to be saved, ultimately forming the Big Dipper. Momaday used this example to show pictures of the night sky and vivid language to emphasize a connection to those stars because, in a way, he and those stars are related and intimately connected with each other.

     Momaday especially emphasized Indigenous forms of storytelling as critical to the identity formation of Native Americans. It becomes the ritual that sutures and connects the lives of Native ancestors and Native people today. Telling these stories allows for Indigenous movements that call for real land reclamation. The United States federal government is a settler state built upon the slaughter of Native people, but fore fronting stories and discussions about Native people allows for more and more Native demands to be heard and acknowledged.

     My personal favorite part of this film was the vivid scenery and poets recited over those scenes. These moments create a personal connection between the audience and the images of the land that, I think, aimed to move the audience into caring a bit more about Indigenous lands, as their well being affects us all.

     I was able to ask the director, Jeffrey Palmer, a question about his vision for the movie. The film mentioned the mantra of “Kill the Indian, Save the Man” which prompted me to ask him how this mantra exists today and how the movie addresses that. While he acknowledges that some things have not changed, Palmer said he hopes the movie can create forms of dialogue betweens groups and create coalitions. He cited the example of Elder Phillips and the ‘MAGA’ Boy this January. Palmer described it as seeing two or three groups people who simply could not speak to each other because there was ignorance in their experiences that allowed one to brutally disrespect the other.

     A large part of the film focused in on Pahokee High School’s football team and their run to win the state championship. The movie documented the whole season and the hard work they put into their well deserved championship.

     The state championship was not only a huge win for the students on their way to college, but it boosted the morale of town writ large. Adults were approaching the players and thanking them for ‘saving the town’. This emphasizes the magnitude of the just the state championship on the town. It also cemented the reputation that Pahokee has — as a breeding ground for NFL stars. Stars like Anquan Boldin also made a surprise showing in the film, attending the high school graduation.

     Unfortunately, the school was stripped of their state title that year due to a processing error regarding a transfer player who was ineligible. Even in the face of this, the town knew in their hearts that their local Pahokee High School went undefeated and earned that title.

     There was another event in the movie that was quite significant. The camera team was recoding an Easter egg hunt at a local park when there were shots fired. The shooting forced the children and their parents to stay on the ground in hopes of not being shot, which reiterates psychological pain. This was a hard moment for the people affected by the event and the crew shooting the film, as the had to grapple with whether or not they should include this scene in the film. The directors discussed that they decided to include it because shootings are an issue for these communities that is swept under the rug by the media, so pointing out the reality of those situations is a more effective method of creating conversations of how to move beyond instances like this. I would also like to point out that there should be a trigger warning for this sometime before the movie, as experiences such as shootings can be a source of psychological trauma.

     One of the directors, Patrick Bresnan, said their goal with the film was to build bridges between different communities and humanize this misunderstood town. Towns like Pahokee have been homogenized through recent rhetoric of the “Anchor Baby” and the “Welfare Queen” that creates the division between the good and the bad minorities. The directors emphasized that the movie was made in aims to deconstruct those binaries and create trust between larger communities. By exposing the daily lives of towns like these, the audience is able to conceptualize how these communities live and humanize them to create an understanding and disrupt pre-conceived notions of race and class.

     The film begins with Mandy, the main subject of the film, waking up face down in her front yard. She remembers nothing of the night before. Hours later Mandy receives a text from her friend asking “Is this you?!”. Attached is a video. In it, Mandy is passed out on a bathroom floor with a crowd of boys huddled around her and… More begin to surface as Mandy looks for answers, but no one is confessing.

     Days later Mandy’s parents find the videos on her laptop and demand she go to the police, despite her cries to remain silent. They want justice for their daughter, as do the audience, as do the Hollywood film critics, but that is not how many sexual assault stories end. In fact, around three out of four sexual assaults go unreported in the United States according to the Bureau of Justice National Crime Victimization Survey.

     Justice comes in many forms. For Mandy, it was to find out what really happened that night. But she needed to do this on her own, not with the police. Many people believe if someone has the resources to come forward they should and this goes to show that often times the needs of sexual assault victims are pushed to the side. The process of coming forward can be traumatizing and in many cases, such as Mandy’s, it can cause even more harm to the person who faced the assault.

     Mandy’s parents and the audience need to listen to Mandy and accept her decisions. To everyone but Mandy, this may seem like accepting defeat, but to her this was the best way in which she could heal. Even after Mandy receives the last video, the one needed to put the man who assaulted her in jail, the one she has been searching for throughout the entire film, she deletes it. She found her answer and for Mandy discovering what really occurred is all she wants. She took control of her narrative, something not many assault victims are able to do.

     This film, although difficult to watch, needs to be seen. The truth about how sexual assaults are dealt with needs to be shared. The story doesn’t always have a “happy ending” or closure, but it should. As a community, we all need to work to alter our society so that more closure can occur. Really, we should work so that people don’t have to search for closure to begin with; that should be a right for every citizen, but currently, it is a privilege.

As a peer education for Teen Council I will support, empower and advocate for those who have experiences sexual assault through my teachings and individual outreach work.

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Every year 1.5 million teenagers in the United States experience physical abuse their partner according to the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. This statistic does not include mental abuse which often goes unnoticed among teenagers and adults. If you would like to get involved, want to learn more about domestic abuse, or want to report an incident you can talk to any Teen Council member, any Planned Parenthood employee, download the Safe UT app (if you live in Utah), or visit nrcdv.org.

     The creators of the film made an interesting choice when choosing Cal Lumby to narrate from Davis’s perspective, but they were his true words and once this was found out, it was incredibly clear that the narration simply brought you closer to the man that was Miles Davis. The viewers also weren’t hidden from the racism that Davis experienced, despite his insanely important role in the music industry. It was clear Jim Crow and Miles Davis unfortunately, were close friends throughout Davis’s life. It was saddening and perhaps even added to the reason Davis’s personality was so cold. I found the word ‘Cool’ in the title of the film not only represented the musician’s laid-back persona, but also the severity and cruelty of that persona as well. This film was excellently done from beginning to end. It had the same mystique as Miles and it was another wonderful addition to the Firelight Films library which focus on Black history and the celebration of the race. We, the Teen Bloggers, got a chance to talk with the editor of the film for a while after and it was incredibly apparent of how proud of the finished product was, and he should be. This film gave an insight to one of the most iconic musicians in the world and I, a music fanatic, am so grateful this cinematic masterpiece was created.

     The film follows four women (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Amy Vilela, Cori Bush, Paula Jean Swearengin) and their dynamic stories. Which intertwine with their deep-rooted reasoning for wanting change in our nation. Watching the midterms in early November, I knew the names of all these women and I was, of course, encouraged and amazed by them.  Even so, what wasn’t apparent to me, until this film, was how remarkable each woman highlighted truly is.  The movie takes us through the real-life trials and tribulations of each of these aspiring politicians.  The common theme for which they all ran, in my opinion, is THE battle in American history and politics; the battle of doing what is right. Amy’s run was as personal as it was intense, her purpose was healthcare because her daughter had died due to a bureaucracy that couldn’t or, worse, wouldn’t help.  AOC’s run was inspired by her father’s death, and she would do whatever it took to make him proud. Cori Bush was running because she knew her constituents and anguished over their needs in a way that their current Senator could never even begin to imagine.  Paula Jean’s run was a full-throated attempt to draw attention to the unhealthy living conditions of her State and she was willing to do whatever it took to make those conditions safe. Through the movie you, are able to feel each one of these women care deeply and passionately for the well-being of their slice of America, and America as a whole. This biographical movie inspires through telling the patriotic tale of strong women who are all born to the land of the free and the home of the brave.  

     We open with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez smiling and rambling about how different it is for women and men to get ready. Women are defined by the way they look, men aren’t.  A reality that is all too understood by the young women in the room. You immediately fall in love with Alexandria’s courage, strength, beauty and passion for our country. And from that moment you’re completely hooked. Not only did this film have my attention for the entire two-hours it made me imagine a world where women could be seen for more than the superficial.  If so, these were the women who are pioneering the way, and attempting to make such an audacious fantasy into reality.  In the end, it becomes clear, which of these pioneers have won, and which have lost in their respective contests.  We’ve been let in behind the scenes and now can feel just how much each one of these women have put in of themselves, their entire heart, body and souls, for months.  But it is not an end, just a battle, the victors will go on and fight on in congress, and the vanquished will fight-on as activists in their communities and likely candidates in future elections. What they all know is this truth, that the great men of this country have been raised by even greater women and if given a chance, those women can and will hold higher office.      Corny as it may sound, a single tear rolled down my cheek as the credits rolled on, but it morphed into a broad and hopeful smile.  I think I was crying for all the women who desperately want to change the world for the better, but don’t always succeed in the ways they imagined. I was smiling because sometimes they do.  Like many girls in my generation, I feel as if there might be no place for me, my opinion, my contribution to change, and this movie made me feel as though maybe not; maybe I was capable of anything I dare hope to achieve.

Throughout the film I began to fall in love with the seemingly charming character, Ted Bundy. This may have occurred, in part, because the actor playing him was Zac Efron. Whoever the casting director was for this feature film is the true star of the show. Zac Efron is a celebrity known for his charismatic attitude and to have him play a serial killer made me feel like I was in a matrix of sorts. I should not have felt this, though, as the old saying goes, “Never trust a stranger”... especially one who is a known sex offender and murderer.

Having an actor known for his kindness perform a role in which the character was featured as desirable for a large part of the film lowered the audiences guard, leaving them vulnerable to the charm and wit of Bundy. As people left the theater I heard them quietly question their partners and friends, “Did you think he was innocent in the first trial too?” another, “Did the police really have evidence to question and detain him?” The film was exciting to watch and toyed with the audiences emotions, clearly.

While the commonality throughout the audience was a vicious hatred towards Bundy, many members of the audience empathetically questioned him throughout the feature. The way the film portrayed him was as a hard working college student training to become a lawyer and a caring boyfriend. The message from the film: Ted Bundy is just like you and me. But let me be very clear, Ted Bundy is anything but.

As I sat in my car trying to remember if there were any warning signs of an unhealthy relationship with Bundy and Elizabeth Kloepfer, as I have been trained to see as a Teen Council member, I visualized very few moments. This was not because I didn’t properly learn what consent and a healthy relationship should look like, but because the film purposely left out many signs. The most prominent one I did catch, though, was how Bundy treated Kloepfer once he was taken to jail. The slight, “Say you love me, do you love me? We’ll get through this.” stated multiple times throughout the film showed Kloepfer in a distressing state, as most people would be in this situation, but also one of fear. It was almost as if Kloepfer was too afraid to say “no” and voice her true opinions to Bundy. If she spoke to Bundy about how she was acting, the excessive drinking and depressive stages she was facing, wouldn’t he as a partner want her to move on and seek help? No, he wouldn’t. If he did, Kloepfer would not have been afraid to talk to Bundy.

My last thought I must ask to you, the reader. This film was one of the most highly anticipated for the Sundance Festival this year. Numerous articles were written about it across the U.S. Ted Bundy, a heinous serial killer who has recently become one of the most talked about subjects in Hollywood, in high schools, in the workplace, and more. If our society highlights compassion in serial killers, makes them famous, then writes stirring movies about them, how will that appear to millions of young, naive and malleable minds across the nation?

     All three young adults are apart of the National Immigrant Youth Alliance, A group that brought legislature attention to the DREAM act. They have stopped plenty of deportations before this scheme and have done many after. What sparked this idea was when Marco heard of a man Claudio Rojas who was detained while taking out his trash. Marco and soon later Viri 1.) Fool the guards into detaining them 2.) Give detainees a phone number to call to help get their case to the media to hopefully get enough attention to get released. 3.) Then get themselves released.

     From a young activist watching this, it was inspiring.The film had so many lingering takeaways about family, youth, and the power of being undocumented and unafraid. The Q&A was full of the directors, some of the cast and crew but most importantly Mo and Viri. It opened up topics about immigration reform , what can our politicians do to help , how can we help, what’s the next step? The Q&A was filled with answers for the future, Viridiana is going to be a lobbyist at D.C this summer , Mohammad runs the Detentionlifeline.org which is where anyone in the states can call to get help for someone they know who has been detained. The future seems bright, but we still have work to do.

     As Mo said “Hold Democrats accountable , they say they are our friends , prove to us you are”. The Q&A was feisty in all the right ways by calling out politicians for using words to gain specifically the Latinx vote. Obama formed DACA but left the parents of those undocumented students stranded when they needed help to keep their family together. “Immigration is a hot topic since Trump has been elected” - Mohammad Abdollahi. The 2016 election may not be so bad after all because people care more about immigrants than ever before. When things aren’t being oppressed to drastic levels , such as children being ripped away from parents arms and put in cages, people just look the other way. Since the mass missing children , immigration reform is a popular subject, It was one of biggest factors on electing people for office for the midterm elections 2018. Real people call out the fake ones, this is exactly what Mo and Viri were doing.

While talking to the directors of the film, it is apparent that they wanted to show a very a-political view on the siege. Being in Palestine and talking to the people, the directors said that the public opinion is not focused on a specific political group and instead are angry at the world for forcing them to live as they are by not stepping in or enacting change. Everyone is to blame who is complicit in the global isolation and ignorance that allows the people of Palestine to die for fighting for their freedom or. The tragedy shown in the film is, in my opinion, well balanced with the stories of the people. It is an incredible film that will send you through a gauntlet of emotions and hopefully educate you as to what is happening on the Gaza Strip.

     Ruth had a turbulent childhood full of heartbreak, sadness, and loneliness, so as soon as she was able, she set out on a hunt for love, passion, and everything from life which she didn’t know she would ever find. She found herself in the arms of two different men and in a completely different country before finding the love of her life while skiing with her 2-year-old daughter. This is only a taste of the fun, light-hearted, happy individual that we know as Dr. Ruth. So, how did she do it? How did she triumph over the pain of her reality to become a powerful, successful, exceptionally happy woman known worldwide? I found that she did this by living everyday to the fullest, always stopping to smell the flowers, and by never depriving herself of a good laugh along the way.  Dr Ruth never sweats the small stuff and in return leads a big life.      Being a sex ed. Peer educator, along with a young woman, I applaud Dr. Ruth. Despite hardships she defied the stigmas of the word “sex” and taught America it was okay to live a great life in every aspect, just as she did. Ruth is a trailblazer for a world where people are comfortable with their sexuality, sexually safe, pleasured, and exceptionally happy Dr. Ruth’s smile put a smile on my face the moment I saw her, what kept it there throughout the film was the resilience, courage, honesty and strength of the one and only, Dr. Ruth.  

     Almost every clip showed them as they continued to fight for freedom.There were various stories about different people there. The main focus was the story of Claudio, whose son sought out for help from the infiltrators.This occurred at the beginning of the film were you could feel the dismay of having your family be separated and not knowing what to do. As the filmed progressed, they had successfully infiltrated the detention center and you’re able to learn more about each character. Many people detained were detained unjustly for example there was a women from Africa who was detained for reporting domestic abuse and another teenager for riding a bicycle.The anger arose around the theater as you felt and saw the unfairness, loneliness, loss of appetite, and hopelessness from the detainees. Not only were you seeing the suffering from those detained but also the suffering their families went through that weren’t able to visit due to their immigration status.   

   This film’s intensity and reality was difficult to endure.I found the film very emotional as someone who has family and friends who are undocumented. I noticed I wasn’t the only one who felt emotional because I saw others also shed tears. You didn’t have to be facing the same circumstances with the people in the film to feel heartbroken. One thing that stood out to me were the eyes of the detainees. Whether it was the director’s purpose or not, it was definitely powerful to see because of the underlying emotions: hope, dismay, relief, and fear. It connected with me because of the community around me who face similar fears like deportation.The eyes remind me of that struggle.Their eyes hold onto their identity, hope, and the difficulties they face.    

The film ended abruptly with Claudio on his way to meet with I.C.E.to see if he is granted another year in the United States of America leaving many people upset. The darkness that filled the room following that clip had us at the edge of our seats longing for a happy ending but we were fed with the credits. After having seen them go through so many difficulties to free Claudio there was no true sense of freedom. However this abrupt ending showed the very raw and realistic side of being undocumented. There is no end to people who face this daily. The fight to free the humans detained is still present and they continue to fight. The Infiltrators being Mohammad Abdollahi, Viridiana Martinez, Marco Saavedra continue to fight these injustices.

     I myself haven’t read a single book by Toni Morrison, which I regretted more and more as the film progressed. The three books that were emphasized were The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, and Beloved. I would like to read all of them now. Toni Morrison went into detail about why she had such sad plots, why she focused on the African American culture and what influenced her when she was writing. I think the most impactful subject she talked about was what inspired her to write about The Bluest Eye. When she was younger she had a friend who was positive that there was no God, and her reasoning was that she had been praying for years to have blue eyes, yet she never received them. Toni Morrison illustrated that not all racism is lynching and hate crimes and racist comments; racism is deep, it goes past all that and cuts into the self esteem of the oppressed. In the film Oprah Winfrey talks about how Toni Morrison’s writing hits the reader with subjects like internalized oppression, it takes them aback when they aren’t expecting it. 

      It was incredible hearing about Toni Morrison’s achievements with all of the work and perseverance it took. The cinematography of the film illustrated her life wonderfully, with shots of her in her office, walking along the street, as a child, with her sons, writing at home and old family photographs. My favorite part of the cinematography was the numerous shots of different book covers for the same book. Some covers were in different languages, some old and new, and it illustrated that Toni Morrison was and continues to be an international figure. 

     Regardless of whether you’ve had the pleasure of having read Toni Morrison, it is clear to the viewer that she possesses a rare gift in storytelling. She has the ability to make people feel the pain of humanity without experiencing it first-hand. The documentary skirts any revelation of her personal life and travels solely throughout her professional achievements. While this may seem like a disconnect it grounds the viewer to focus on the subject and allows one to imagine the full complexity of the person. The director cleverly unfolds the story by drawing the person into enchanting cinematography leading to first person accounts intertwined with the anecdotes of friends and associates.

     The biography is directed by Timothy Greenfield Sanders (The Women’s list, The Trans list, The Latino List) and runs 1 hour and 59 minutes and is worth every second. When asked, the editor said it was difficult to convince Toni to do a documentary, but she eventually opened her home for filming and when she was asked what she thought of the film she simply said, “You know, I like that person”. And how could you not? Toni defies the limits of sex, race, social class and education to become one of the most powerful and influential writers of American history. In the documentary she made it clear that she was not writing for white men, white women, black men or black women, she was not writing for the abolitionist or slave owner, she was simply writing for humanity, no matter what kind of human you are.

     At the end of the movie it became incredibly apparent to me the symbolism of the fragmentations of Toni’s face at the beginning of the film, it was parallel with Toni, her life, her story, a story we were lucky enough to learn about. As an aspiring writer, I look up to Ms. Morrison with the utmost respect and am so grateful for this film because it reminded me that despite a dark world, there are always stories, and stories can change everything.