12 movies about bullying that we should all watch

Several audiovisual works that help to understand all the devastating effects of bullying.

Bullying or school bullying is a social scourge that a large number of children and adolescents continue to suffer at school. This problem, although it has always existed, has not received great social visibility until relatively few years ago. However, this does not mean that there have not been previous studies or people who have tried to reflect the suffering and situation of young people who suffer from it. And not only in the field of research, but also in arts such as cinema.

We can find a large number of films about bullying or in which it is portrayed either as something main or secondary to the plot of the film. That is why in this article we are going to review a selection of films about bullying or school bullying..

What is bullying?

It is understood by bullying or school harassment such to all that act or behavior through which one or several people intentionally try to cause some type of discomfort, pain or damage to another oneThis generates a relationship of inequality in which the aggressor has more power or dominance over the relationship than the aggressed. This relationship occurs repeatedly and continuously over time, taking advantage of the little possibility of escape that a habitual and closed context such as the school offers.

Such aggressions can be carried out directly or indirectly and include acts such as physical aggression, insults, harassment, blackmail, threats, theft or public humiliation. Likewise, with technological progress, it has been seen how ICTs are also used in bullying, giving rise to cyberbullying.

The aggressions suffered by the aggrieved party can have dire consequences on their personal and social development. The experience of continuous harassment over time generates in most cases a decrease in self-concept and self-esteem. a decrease in self-concept and self-esteem, as well as in the perception of competence and self-esteemand self-esteem, as well as in the perception of competence and self-efficacy. These children often feel insecure and ashamed of the situation or in some cases of themselves. They generally show a higher level of anxiety and their ability to concentrate, plan and tolerate frustration is often reduced.

Socially, it has been found that it is common for them to have a feeling of little social support and an increased level of distrust of new social and emotional relationships. In the long term, it is not uncommon for mood, anxiety or even personality disorders to appear, as well as an increased likelihood of substance abuse and eating disorders. In fact, one of the most dramatic consequences is suicidal ideation, which in some cases is put into practice (this being one of the reasons why awareness of the problem has begun to increase).

Several films about bullying

Below are a number of films that deal with the subject of bullying from different points of view. Some of them are largely realistic, but we can also note the existence of some films that touch the subject from different film genres, ranging from drama to science fiction or even horror. We warn that in the descriptions there are elements of the plot that can be considered SPOILER.

1. Cyberbully (2011)

Taylor is a seventeen-year-old teenager to whom her brother writes a defamatory message on a social network, which generates a response in the form of harassment towards her. After a while, a boy adds the protagonist in the same social network in which the publication was made and they begin to chat daily.

However, one day the supposed boy (who in reality is a fake profile) publishes a message in which he insinuates that they have slept together, something that will end up degenerating into a situation of continuous bullying towards Taylor both within the social network and at school, that will lead her to try to take her own life (something a friend and her mother (something that a friend and her mother prevent). This reflects a painful reality: bullying cases can end up claiming victims in the form of suicides.

2. Bullying (2009)

Spanish film that reflects the life of Jordi, a young man who moves to another city with his mother and who, when he starts attending classes, will begin to suffer continuously from Nacho's bullying. The film reflects the incomprehension towards the phenomenon of bullying, the concealment of the situation and the consequences and aggressions that some people affected by bullying may suffer. Also It also allows us to see the different roles and positions taken by the different agents involved..

3. Ben X (2007)

Inspired by a real case, Ben X tells the story of a young man with Asperger's syndrome who is frequently bullied at school, often harassed and sometimes forced to perform humiliating actions against his will. The young man takes refuge in a video game (ArchLord) as a method of escape, meeting a girl to whom he tells that he is willing to "finish the game", i.e. commit suicide. Both are left and Ben is on the verge of taking his own life, but finally ends up not doing so and hatches a plan together with the girl and the participation of her parents to unmask his assailants.. Unfortunately, the real case from which the film is based did end in suicide.

4. Disconnection (2012)

This film is not only about bullying, but rather about the use of information and communication technologies as a way to hurt or take advantage of others. However, it has been put on this list because one of the four stories it tells is that of Ben, a boy who suffers bullying at school and two classmates, pretending to be a teenage girl, get him to take a picture of himself, a compromising photo that is subsequently circulated around the school (although this fact ends up escaping (although this fact ends up escaping his control).

Ben suffers different situations of harassment and mockery until he tries to take his own life, ending up in a coma in a hospital after trying to hang himself. The film also offers us the vision of the two bullies and the discomfort they face at how the situation has ended.

5. Cowards (2008)

Film that tells the story of Gaby, a red-haired boy who is continuously harassed by Guille, a classmate who does not hesitate to bully him because of the respect he gets from the rest of the class. Throughout the film we see how Gaby fears going to school, and how part of Guille's behavior is based on the fear of being a disappointment to his father. The situation is prolonged over time and Gaby will decide to hatch a plan to make his classmate stop bullying him.

6. The Class (2007)

"The Class" tells the story of Joseph, a high school student who is subjected to continuous harassment and aggression by his classmates. One of the aggressors, Kaspar, finally takes his side and tries to defend him. From then on they are both attacked and assaulted, even being forced to have oral sex. However, they decide to take violent revenge.

7. Carrie (1973 and 2013)

Horror film based on the novel by Stephen King, in it we see the theme of bullying mixed with science fiction and horror. Carrie is a teenage girl raised by an ultra-religious and abusive mother who in turn suffers bullying in high school. The young girl has her first menstruation in high school, unaware of what it is due to a very conservative upbringing and terrified of it. The other girls make fun of her and humiliate her, going so far as to record the event (in the 2013 version) and publish it.

Bullying situations at home and at school follow one after the other, while we see how Carrie has telekinetic powers. We also see how one of the girls feels guilty and asks her boyfriend to accompany Carrie to the prom (someone she feels attracted to). When the day of the dance arrives, they both attend, but some of the boys prepare a way to humiliate Carrie by pouring a bucket of pig's Blood over her. In the film we also see how the school tries to hide the harassment, and the behavior and reactions of both the protagonist and the rest of those involved.

8. Chain of Favors (2000)

In this movie we see how Trevor, the main character, Trevor, is a teenager who receives as a social science assignment to give and implement an idea to change the world. The boy plans to elaborate a chain of favors in which each person does a favor for three others, and these in turn do a favor for three others. Something he will start trying to do in real life.

While the film in question does not focus only on bullying, we do see how Adam, one of the protagonist's classmates, is constantly humiliated and tortured by some of his classmates and how the protagonist does nothing about it. and how the protagonist does nothing to stop it due to fear. Until the end of the film, in which he decides to intervene, with dramatic consequences.

9. Bully (2011)

More than a film, this is a documentary that reflects different cases of bullying, the experience of minors and the point of view and experience of the parents of the bullied.

10. Precious (2010)

Film that narrates the life of an obese and illiterate teenager, who is hated by her mother because she has had two children as a result of the rape carried out by her father (one of them has an intellectual disability) and who also suffers different types of bullying at school due to her situation and illiteracy. suffers different types of bullying at school due to her situation and illiteracy..

11. Bullying in the classroom (2009)

This film takes us to see the story of Chrissa, an eleven year old girl who begins to suffer the bullying of several classmates. the different steps taken by parents and institutions to try to solve the case..

12. Audrie and Daisy (2016)

Documentary that tells the story of a real case, in which two teenage girls were subjected to cyberbullying after being raped. It observes not only the story but also the role and opinion of parents, the community, witnesses, classmates, parents, classmates, and the community.community, witnesses, classmates and even aggressors.