'Protection' is a feature-length, portmanteau drama comprising stories filmed in the Illawarra area of Australia. Locations range from school to the beach, dance classes to billy cart races, and birthday parties to the streets. The interlaced chapters and vignettes effortlessly embrace issues of friendship, inclusion, housing precariousness, blended families, peer pressure, poverty, loss, facing fears and taking responsibility.
While there's a princess, an invisible prince, a witch and a bogeyman, 'Protection' also brings to mind the social realism of the 'kitchen sink' films of British directors Mike Leigh and Ken Loach. The weighty themes though, are balanced with delight and humour in these stories, the many characters being quickly established through affecting performances that always ring with authenticity.
Proceeding from a 'Dogme 95'-like set of rules, 'Protection' ticks all Beyond Empathy Films own boxes including of providing opportunities for young writers and actors, using local locations, and encouraging participants to perform roles both in front of and behind the camera. From this brilliant conception emerges a deft self-portrait of resilient kids from their own perspective, responding to the challenges around them.
Those familiar with BE Films' breakout hit 'Rites of Passage' (2013) won't be surprised at the cinematic inventiveness here. The bright, lightly rotoscoped images soften the gritty, intimate reality into a gorgeous, half-cartoon aesthetic. Add powerful music and audacious editing and the result is very stylish cinema. It is a parade beautiful images of brilliant kids. Everyone will identify with the characters, or know someone like them.
Teens will get it all completely, naturally. Adults will be more aware of the societal and structural issues underpinning the narratives. We see our muddled and often scary world through these experiences of childhood. 'Protection' is what 'The Florida Project' failed so dismally to be. Here, the ambition of the producers is rewarded with a frequently hilarious celebration of childhood and a moving tribute to the resilience of kids.
