Schools at the Festival

(2024 Nellie Wong Magic of Movies Essay Contest)

A JOURNEY IN FILMMAKING

What makes a good film? Is it the eager expectation that makes the audience hush as the lights dim and the film begins? Is it the intricate weave of the plot itself or the artistry of how the film was created? After my experience watching Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story, I now have a better idea of what truly makes a film great. The film drew the audience in with its varying camera angles, from aerial shots to camera views in the sea. The videography perfectly complemented the heartwarming story of a man in Scotland learning about the delicate balance of when and when not to interfere with nature. Yet as I reflect on my experience in that theater, I realize that he wasn’t the only one to learn a thing or two. The film taught me, as well, when I looked past the basic plot into how the film was created.

I’m part of a scouting group, and this year, I earned the Cinematography badge. Before I had earned the badge, I had already been interested in photography; during hikes around the various ecosystems of the Bay Area, I enjoyed taking pictures of birds, wildlife, and scenery; and on a recent trip to Europe, I took many photos of different cityscapes, castles, and canals there. While completing badge requirements at the same time, I learned a little bit more about the video side of using a camera as I made a short video about my scouting group, tried creating different sound effects, and paid special attention to special effects in a live-action movie that I watched.

Because of what I had learned from the badge, I watched Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story with a little more attention to the effects than I would normally. I wondered when Billy had thought to make his story into a documentary and who had been behind the camera when he stood in the vicious wind as icy waves crashed against the rugged Scotland coast. Who was in the office with him as he worked? Which part of the documentary was reenacted with Molly later on, like when he first met her eating crab on the dock, and what portion was recorded as the events unfolded? I believe that some of these unanswered questions are marks of a good film because they make the audience ponder these questions, whether they be about the filmmaking process or the plot itself, long after the lights come on and they return to their homes.

A good film makes its audience want to know more, to think about the story after it ends, and Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story does just that. Part of the excitement of a story is when the viewer ties up some of the loose ends for himself or herself, because when he or she interacts with the story, the story somehow becomes more personal, more important. This film made me think a little more about my own hobby of photography/videography, and when a film teaches me and makes me think while having a great plot, then it’s everything a film should be.

(2024 Nellie Wong Magic of Movies Essay Contest)

“We are girls, and together we are fearless.” This is a powerful quote from the She Creates Change movie. I gazed my eyes upon the magical movie theater screen at the theater as it began, thinking that the film might be dull. Little did I know that what I was about to witness was remarkable, unlike any other documentary I had watched before. After my experience with this screening, I’ve begun to feel more appreciative of the opportunities I have to attend school and not take any of my privileges for granted.

While watching this astonishing film, my mind shifted and became more thoughtful about the issues these brave girls experienced. To begin with, I was aware that many girls in the world do not have the opportunity to attend school. However, even knowing this, I was shocked to find out that at least one hundred and thirty million girls in the world cannot walk to a classroom and are forced to quit for several reasons. Reasons such as poverty, cultural norms, and child marriage. After I arrived home, I thought about how unfortunate it is for girls to not be able to attend classes. All children deserve a significant education that teaches them about what they can do better in their areas of growth.

Additionally, I was aware of some topics the movie featured, such as sexual harassment, beauty expectations, and safety insecurities, but I was still surprised to find out what horrors the girls had to experience. Something that was completely new to me was that families across the world forbid their daughters to attend school for a week because of having their period. It was horrific to discover that families force their daughters to be all alone in a house and that they need to use towels and water to sanitize themselves. Although I was alarmed to find this out, I appreciated becoming enlightened on this issue.

Expressing these topics through drawings brought up so many emotions, experiences and realities. Metaphors of birds in cages, seconds of process of how a shy but brave girl mastered karate, and bricks shattering in a home due to fights, were all so vivid and meaningful. The animation of the movie focused on the pain the girls had to experience, but also the way they made it through. For example, I adored the story in Sri Lanka about a girl who was almost forced to live in the city and work far away from her family because of a drought. The way the movie described how the drought had affected the girl and her family was tragic to watch. However, it was magnificent to see how one piece of knowledge can help an entire family and a small village. If I had learned this through a different way, such as a class lecture or book, I may not have grasped the subject as well as I did in the animation. This is because I believe verbal mediums do not express experiences as powerfully as drawings, even though words have power to influence and inform minds.

This movie inspired me to dig into these issues and learn a similar topic to menstruation getting in the way of girls’ education. While reading an article by UNICEF, I learned women in Senegal are helping girls have menstruation products due to non-functional toilets and lack of access to hygiene products. Due to this, many girls are forced to take many days off or drop out of school. I discovered that women in the Kaffreine region are currently committed to creating affordable reusable pads for young girls in school and are training women and men to stitch recycled clothing fabrics into pads. Adding on to period poverty, I’m part of a club called Social Justice in school where we are holding a menstrual products drive and donating our products to an organization in San Francisco called “La Casa De Las Madres”.

In conclusion, I had an extraordinary experience at the theater watching She Creates Change. I hope Room To Read will continue to make movies just like the amazing one I watched to help raise awareness about other important issues in the world.

(2024 Nellie Wong Magic of Movies Essay Contest)

Imperfect. Ugly. Idiot. Lame. All of these are words used to discriminate, bully, and hurt women. Overused. Loser. Pick me. Stupid. These are all words used to harm me by the people I trusted. While it has been months since I was hurt, I will not forget. How could someone I thought of as a best friend hurt me? Adults expect children and teens to see the best in everyone, give second chances, and be respectful to those around them. How am I supposed to be all those things when others aren’t? How can I be those things when the same adults who tell people to be those things side with the bullies? Broken. Bruised. Unwanted. Worthless. These words are equally as horrible. They signify the way many girls feel after being bullied. Bullies crumble at girls’ self-worth leaving them with a fragment of what they had in the past. Girls with their heads hung low walking around school environments. These are supposed to be “safe spaces” so why aren’t they safe?

She Creates Change. The empowering film is full of stories of girls overcoming challenges caused by their community. Naifat is a girl in Tanzania who takes action in her community through music. Like me, she believes that music has the powerful capability to bring people together in times of need, celebration, and heartbreak. I write music to empower people of any gender, race, or sexuality. Last year was one of the hardest for me socially. I decided to write music about my experience. Music about the experience of being put down by those you trust. The feeling of running back to people that hurt you to “preserve a friendship”. The feeling of not being able to set boundaries and say “no”. I presented my song titled “Falling” at my school talent show. It was the first time I felt safe enough to share my art with my community. The possibility that my music would not be appreciated by my peers and community was present. But the response was perfect. My friends encourage me to be as creative as I can get. To embrace my differences, and what makes me special. To not block out, but help those who bully become better people. They encourage me to create change.

Song Lyrics
Watch the Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3yQmE_U2YQ

V1
G Am
Broken silence words compiling
F
Why can’t we fight back
G Am
If you know you need to stand up
F
Why do they attack

Pre chorus:
C
Why don’t we just come together
Em
We can make this whole world better
Dm
Why don’t we just rejoice
C
Summer, fall in warmer weather
Em
Is lt that hard to realize
Dm
We all cry tears of glitter

Chorus:
G F
It’s hard sometimes,

But that’s alright
G F
Because we. will. Rise

And stand to fight
Am
Bro, ken silence
G
Its not fine
Am G
Because you know that we all cry
G
We all cry
Am
we all cry
F
we all cry

Tears of glitter

V2
G Am
Bruises scars and friendships broken
F
Risking everything
G Am
You know you can’t stay outspoken
F
Not for another day

Pre chorus:
C
Why don’t we just come together
Em
We can make this whole world better
Dm
Why don’t we just rejoice
C
Summer, fall in warmer weather
Em
Is lt that hard to realize
Dm
We all cry tears of glitter

Chorus:
G F
It’s hard sometimes,

But that’s alright
G F
Because we. will. Rise

And stand to fight
Am
Bro, ken silence
G
Its not fine
Am G
Because you know that we all cry
G

We all cry
Am
we all cry
F
we all cry

Tears of glitter

Outro
C
So speak out
F
Speak now
C F
Over everything wrong
C
Speak out
F
Speak loud
C Em F
And you will create change
C Em C
And you will create change

(2024 Nellie Wong Magic of Movies Essay Contest)

On Friday, April twenty-sixth, I visited SFMOMA to watch the SFFilm special, Billy + Molly: An Otter Love Story. I must say, I was deeply intrigued by this film. It showed me how beautiful a film could be. There were many things the filmmaker did to impress me. One of them was the way he put the documentary together. Whilst I watched the documentary, it felt more like a story than a documentary because the filmmaker found a true story so unique. It would never have occurred to me to find something so phenomenal, so blissful.

One thing that the filmmaker did to captivate me was the cinematography. From the countless panoramas of the Shetland Isles to the Otters frolicking in the surf to the beautiful underwater kelp forest, he was an expert in this. I cannot wait to see another production by him.

Another way he impressed me was the way he sectioned the story. One moment, I was feeling ready to cry, and then I was laughing. To me, a good film is dependent on how they section it. All the transitions felt smooth and natural.

In conclusion, Billy + Molly: An Otter Love Story captivated how beautiful life can be. From the first scenes to the final curtain, Charlie Hamilton James left me feeling contentment and wonder, and it took a while to clear my head of pounding thoughts. I would not hesitate to give it five out of five stars.

(2024 Nellie Wong Magic of Movies Essay Contest)

I’m going to be talking about a movie called “Self.” I can relate to the main character because
she is African American like me, and sometimes she goes through some struggles of fitting in and sometimes I’m like that too. I am very glad there is a movie that I can relate to because sometimes I go through feeling like I don’t fit in. The main character changes to be like the other people who are golden. She changes by looking like them, but then she realizes it’s better to be herself instead of trying to be another person. Sometimes I have tried to change myself to be like other people, but then when I found the movie “Self” I understand it’s better to be me than somebody else. I can relate to that so that’s why I’m so happy that they made that movie that I can relate to. Watching Self made me think, “Oh it’s just better to be me and it’s always better to be me,” so to the creators who made that movie, I’m very thankful that you made that movie so I can finally relate something. I finally have some friends who just can accept me and also finally I don’t have to be like them. Actually I never had to be like them in the start, it’s always better to be me. And my lesson is no matter what it’s always best to be yourself