A bully’s worst fear is revenge, so it’s special when a victim of bullying can turn those slurs and taunts into nationwide popularity, the Huffington Post reports. Alex Libby was 12 years old when director Lee Hirsch included him in a documentary entitled “Bully.” The film, which was released in 2011 and acquired shortly thereafter by the Weinstein Company, gave the boy his chance to change things — for himself and others. Ever since, he’s lent his face, time and energy to a worldwide movement against bullying. CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” will feature Libby’s story Thursday night in a documentary, called “The Bully Effect,” about the children featured in “Bully.”
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New film examines bullying in U.S. schools
“I couldn’t have been hit by a cool car…it had to be a minivan,” laughs Kelby from Oklahoma, an openly gay teen who can’t make the smile reach her eyes as she recalls the day she was hit by a van because of her sexuality. Kelby is one of five people and families documented over the course of a year in a groundbreaking new documentary that aims to shed light on American’s bullying epidemic.
The documentary, called ‘The Bully Project,’ which has a limited release March 30th in select theaters, was directed by producer/director Lee Hirsch, who admits to being bullied throughout most of his childhood.
“In many ways, those experiences and struggles helped shape my world view and the types of films I’ve endeavored to make. I firmly believe that there is a need for an honest, gutsy film which gives voice to kids who deal with such torments on a daily basis. Through this unflinching look, we will make a difference for other young people across our communities and improve our collective response to this crisis,” said Hirsch in a statement.…Read More