College Boy

[Link to video can be found here]

1. College Boy a video by Quebec director Xavier Dolan has been viewed as controversial and offensive. Do you think it has gone too far in depicting school aged bullying? Explain.
I think it's meant for a more mature audience. I understand why people are regarding the video as controversial and offensive; reading some of the french comments below the Youtube video was very insightful to Quebec views. The message is clear as day in the video and the visual metaphors such as everyone wearing blindfolds extended the message to a territory few go to. Everyone is the bully if someone is the victim, whether you do it yourself, or do nothing about it. It's a very powerful message and looking at it from a religious perspective probably gave it more of a power push to that audience (The crucifiction of the boy was the offensive part, and I can see why with the message it sent out using Christ's image as well as the mature content and graphic image that follow). 
School age bullying, yes, this crossed a line that no one has crossed before. Is the message powerful? Yes. Should this video be played for schools? This is where another controversy lies. When looking at domestic violence and racial discrimination, the majority of the world is desensitized to it due to the content of shows on television and movies. I think it has gone too far along the lines of school bullying, but then again, there are more suicides from students who are bullied at school and suffer from mental illness then any other cause of death among the age group. 


2. What do you think people find particularly offensive about the video?
The religious references and graphic images int he video are offensive to an wide audience. Personally myself, I was unprepared for the graphic imagery of the student being beaten by the other students and the cricifiction of him. had I been prepared, I may have reacted differently but then the impact of the act would have been lost and the needing message of the video would have been dulled. The image of the cross and being nailed and tied to it was very graphic, which is what upset me. On the side of the religious figures, I can't say much. I'm not offended to the same extent that others would be by the imagery of Christ's image used in a controversial topic. I do like that the director went into no-man's land and used material that would create such a vivid and diverse discussion on a topic most ignore. 

3. Some people might have the perspective that the video sensationalizes bullying and makes the victim into a martyr. Define the two highlighted words and agree or disagree with this statement. 
Sensationalizes:  Present information about something in a way that provokes public interest and excitement in an exaggerated way. (Making events in a newspaper seem more vivid, shocking and devastating then they were)
Martyr: A person who is killed because of their religious or other beliefs. 
I completely agree with the statement, whether I share it or not is another question. The video did sensationalize bullying in the generic sense. Most people are aware of the first part of the video, spit balls and paper thrown at you in class followed by names and the hallway shove and locker break in. What was exaggerated to the greater audience was the ending and the result of the boy being killed. It doesn't happen the way it was portrayed in the video in real life, but it does happen as well as the idea of turning the authority on the one who is the victim. 
I agree with the idea that the video was sensationalizing bullying to the wider audience, and the direct translation of the video makes the victim into a martyr, but looking at it with a broader mind, the message is looking at everyone (one of the topics discussed in the comments below the video)


I found reading the comments rather insightful and a wonderful view of Quebec attitudes about this. There is a thread going on with replies between eight people, three of them are on the side that it's controversial while the other five are relating it to different topics, issues, backgrounds, sexual orientations and beliefs and perspectives. If you understand french it's a wonderful discussion to read, if not, Google translate is a wonderful tool to assist you.