Language: Words Can Hurt

Sonita
Sonita

This film list explores how language can be used as a weapon when it is connected to prejudice and discrimination, as well as how it used in bullying behaviour. 

What we say and the language we use can have a far-reaching impact. Language used with harmful intent or with carelessness results in prejudice; people afraid to reveal their real identities or pursue their true passions; or deliberate labelling of others in order to gain control over them. 

Harriet The Spy

CertPG

Age group7–14

Duration97 mins

Harriet The Spy(1996)

Excellent adaptation of the much-loved book about a girl who writes down everything she sees.

The risks of recording judgements about other people and having them revealed for all to see is examined in this story about a young girl whose log of her ‘spying missions’ ends up in the wrong hands. Based on a classic children’s book, this film has a relevant message for internet safety and awareness about sharing potentially hurtful information.

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Zootropolis
Available to stream on Into Film+

CertPG

Age group7–14

Duration108 mins

Zootropolis(2016)

Hugely inventive animated adventure about a rookie bunny cop teaming up with a wily fox to solve a set of mysterious disappearances.

The peaceful coexistence of all creatures in Zootropolis is threatened when a series of crimes seems to set predators against prey once again. In an attempt to give the facts, cop on the case Judy gives a press conference, but her words are twisted, causing an atmosphere of fear where old prejudices between the animals rise to the surface.

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Long Way North

CertPG

Age group5–11

Duration81 mins

Long Way North(2015)

Animated adventure about a noble Russian teen who sets out on a voyage to track down her grandfather, whose ship was lost en route to the North Pole.

Sasha is a determined young girl who goes on a mission to find her grandfather, who was lost during an expedition, in order to stop the cruel rumours that threaten the family’s reputation. Along the way, she proves herself as a capable explorer, despite the crew’s misgivings about having a girl on board.

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Hotel Transylvania 2
Available to stream on Into Film+ Premium

CertU

Age group5–11

Duration89 mins

Hotel Transylvania 2(2015)

When Mavis and Johnny’s son fails to develop fangs by his fifth birthday, Drac recruits his friends to try and help his grandson become a monster.

Dracula is terrified that his grandson Dennis, a half-human, half-vampire, will grow up to be ‘normal’ in this film which explores prejudice and what it means to be accepted as part of a group.

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Eleanor's Secret

CertU

Age group5–11

Duration74 mins

Eleanor's Secret(2009)

Lovely-looking animation with a story that really encourages children to read for fun.

This animation celebrates the power of storytelling, but also weighs the effect of mean-spirited teasing which can dent young people’s self-confidence and hold them back from doing their best. However, words can heal as well as hurt, as this adventure reveals…

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Bridge To Terabithia
Available to stream on Into Film+

CertPG

Age group7–14

Duration93 mins

Bridge To Terabithia(2007)

Charming family fantasy film following the adventures of two ten-year-old misfits, based on the popular novel.

Taunted for being different, two social outcasts support one another through the bullying by creating their own fantasy world, where the ‘monsters’ in their lives can be easily conquered. They also learn a valuable lesson when their plan for revenge causes a lot of hurt, forcing them to question their own behaviour.

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Khumba

CertU

Age group7–11

Duration81 mins

Khumba(2013)

Entertaining South African animation about a half-striped zebra who learns that difference can be a strength.

Khumba’s unique appearance causes the other zebras in his herd to mistrust him, especially when bad things start to happen. Deciding that everyone would be happier without him, Khumba goes on a journey of discovery where he meets other creatures that are also dealing with being outcast because of their difference.

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Beauty and the Beast
Available to stream on Into Film+

CertU

Age group5–14

Duration88 mins

Beauty and the Beast(1991)

Animated classic which proves yet again that true beauty lies not in a person's appearance, but what is in their heart.

This traditional tale is all about the power of kindness and the ability to see beyond the surface. However, Belle has to contend with the townspeople’s fear, which turns them into a mob stirred up by deceptive words, unable to see the gentleness that Belle does in the Beast.

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ParaNorman

CertPG

Age group7–14

Duration93 mins

ParaNorman(2012)

Animated adventure of a misfit eleven-year-old who sees and talks to ghosts.

Norman is treated as ‘weird’ because he speaks to ghosts – but nobody believes in his powers. However his special skills are less of a laughing matter when an ancient witch’s curse threatens the town. Could Norman’s powers, and his understanding of what it means to be excluded, save the day?

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The Social Network
Available to stream on Into Film+

Cert12

Age group14+

Duration115 mins

The Social Network(2010)

Riveting biopic of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and the legal challenge he's faced with after being accused of stealing the idea.

The origins of one of the most popular social media platforms is revealed to have been inspired by a desire to publicly humiliate an ex-girlfriend in this drama that also looks at how increased connectivity enables people to express and spread abusive language online.

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Pressure
Available to stream on Into Film+

Cert15

Age group16+

Duration120 mins

Pressure(1976)

Widely considered to have kick-started black British cinema, this 1970s film focuses on a black school leaver well-qualified but unable to find a job.

This drama examines how a bright young man’s life chances are limited due to institutional racism. Finding himself held back, he becomes increasingly receptive to more radical rhetoric.

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Berlin '36

CertPG

Age group11–16

Duration97 mins

Berlin '36(2009)

German drama showcasing the experience of two athletes in the lead-up to the Berlin-hosted 1936 Olympics, based on a true story.

In this drama, two athletes thrown into a fraught rivalry discover that they both have identities considered undesirable by Nazi state propaganda. While one suffers openly anti-Semitic discrimination, the other’s fiercely guarded secret is used by the authorities to manipulate them.

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Victim

Cert12

Age group16+

Duration96 mins

Victim(1961)

Made in 1961, when homosexuality was still illegal in Britain, this drama sees a gay lawyer fighting against a blackmailer targeting gay London men.

Explicitly focusing on closeted gay men whose secrets were under threat of malicious exposure, this film was daring for the time not only in its subject matter but also in its head-on discussion of the issue, using the word ‘homosexual’ for one of the first times on the big screen.

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Philadelphia
Available to stream on Into Film+

Cert12

Age group11+

Duration120 mins

Philadelphia(1993)

Powerful drama made in 1993 when it was daring to make a Hollywood film about AIDS, about a top lawyer sacked when his firm learns he has the disease.

The effects of misinformation are examined in this film that deals with a high-flying lawyer who finds his career ended due to prejudice about his illness, and his defence attorney who has to overcome his own personal bias. This courtroom drama also shows how persuasive legal speech can be used to defend or undermine human rights.

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My Skinny Sister

Cert15

Age group14+

Duration93 mins

My Skinny Sister(2015)

Compelling Swedish drama about a girl who struggles with the knowledge of her older sister’s eating disorder.

Body image and the dangerous quest for perfection are examined in this film which tackles issues around mental health and growing up. When a young girl witnesses her older sister’s eating disorder, her loyalty is tested as she struggles to keep her silence.

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Mary and Max

Cert12

Age group14+

Duration88 mins

Mary and Max(2009)

A witty and touching Australian claymation about two unlikely pen pals with a unique connection.

This charming film reveals the power of communication to heal and connect people, as well as the harmful effect that misjudged words and labelling can produce. Encompassing mental health, body image and healthy relationships, this film is as eye-opening as it is ultimately uplifting.

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Sonita

CertPG

Age group14+

Duration91 mins

Sonita(2015)

Documentary about Sonita, a young Afghan rapper determined to make her voice heard in spite of the repressive society she criticises in her lyrics.

Sonita’s defiant self-expression and lyrics cause her to be condemned by society for daring to speak out, and considered a problem by her family because of the perceived shame she brings on them. Rather than allow her speech to be suppressed, Sonita finds a way out when she discovers a more supportive audience.

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Mustang
Available to stream on Into Film+

Cert15

Age group16+

Duration97 mins

Mustang(2015)

Five orphaned sisters are imprisoned by their family to guard their virtue in preparation to marry them off.

A perceived taint to the sisters’ reputation results in a crackdown on their freedom, and preparation for forced marriage. Struggling to remain hopeful in a society where rumours against them are believed but their protests are ignored, this film is a powerful protest against gender inequality.

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