We Are Columbine

"We Are Columbine" takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions, and it's hard to find the right star rating for a documentary about such a tragic event. The film is okay, not outstanding, but it does offer a heartfelt look at the survivors of the Columbine High School shooting. The personal stories and interviews provide a humanizing perspective on the tragedy, which makes it worth watching.

However, it's frustrating that after tragedies like Columbine, the government often refuses to take action to prevent similar events, citing the Second Amendment. It's like they're hugging the Second Amendment tighter than a stuffed teddy bear, forgetting that lives are at stake. The lack of change has allowed other horrifying incidents like Robb, Sandy Hook, and Stoneman Douglas to happen. So, while "We Are Columbine" offers a window into the past, it's a stark reminder of how much work remains to be done to ensure such events are prevented in the future.

Very well done. I was pleasantly surprised to not hear the names of the shooters once throughout the movie. It was all about the victims, the trauma they've experienced, and the community that has grown from the ashes.

I have been counseling survivors of all types of trauma for over 20 years. From the moment this film started I felt my heart fill up with emotion and I did not want it to end. Each of the survivors featured in this film told their story and explained very well the long term impact of trauma. Students and a teacher present during the shooting spoke about the importance of dealing with the loss, fear and grief that followed them for years. While their stories are painful and scary, there were many moments of hope and affirmation. I already recommended this film to some of my patients. Anyone who has suffered from survivors guilt, PTSD or unimaginable loss will find comfort in watching "We Are Columbine." By the end of the film I felt connected to each of the characters. This is a film that needs to be shown around the world to teachers, parents, survivors and family members with loved ones suffering from PTSD. Shari Botwin, LCSW and Author of "Thriving After Trauma: Stories of Living and Healing," (Rowman & Littlefield, November 8, 2019)

This documentary doesn't solely focus on the tragedy that happened April 20,1999 but instead on the lives of a few students that were freshman at the time and what their experiences were before, during, and after the shooting. It was a great perspective to see and I found it just as harrowing as the gory details of that day. I was a freshman in high school at the same time and I remember this day and seeing it all unfold on the news like it was yesterday. I would recommend this film. The only criticism I have is that the film maker didn't tell her story.

Greetings again from the darkness. A great many things changed on April 20, 1999. The "Columbine Massacre", a school shooting (and pipe bombs) that resulted in many deaths and injuries, and subsequent copycats, was broadcast live on television for the world to witness. Laura Farber was a freshman at Columbine High School that fateful day, and now, almost 20 years later, she's a filmmaker taking a look at the fallout from such a traumatic event.

Rather than document the progression of events - something that's already been done numerous times - Ms. Farber enlists four of her former classmates, plus a teacher and the school principal to discuss their memories of the day, and more importantly, the impact it has had on their lives since. Gus was the pot smoking slacker. Jaimi was an athlete whose big sister also attended the school. Amy was a cheerleader and social type, and Zach was a studious soccer player. Mr. Zeyba was a first year teacher at the time, and Mr. DeAngelis ("Mr. De") was the school principal. None are especially anxious to revisit those memories, and without the trust they have for Ms. Farber, they probably wouldn't.

With filming set up at an otherwise unoccupied Columbine High School, each of the participants walks us through where they were that day (cafeteria, classroom, etc) and how they remember things unfolding. News clips and a 911 call from that day are replayed, but filmmaker Farber wisely decides against showing the shooters or even mentioning their names. This is about the survivors and as difficult as the conversations are, we get the feeling it's a cathartic exercise for them. We are stunned to hear that they have spoken very little of that day, even to each other or other classmates. There is an "understanding".

This is a very intimate and personal look at how an unbelievably traumatic event can alter the life path of a person. Gus now expresses himself through his rap music. Jaimi is a nurse who values her time with her wife and kids. Amy is a social worker, and Zach is now a teacher at Columbine High School. Mr. Zeyba continues to teach and Mr. DeAngelis continued on as school principal ... after testing numerous fire alarm signals to prevent flashbacks. Each is giving back in their own way after experiencing something most of us can barely imagine. It may not be a traditionally informative documentary, but it's one that brings us as close as possible to what the survivors feel.