IMAGINARY FRIENDS

IMAGINARY FRIENDS + UNLIKELY ALLIES: BEST COMING OF AGE STORIES

This masterclass is split in two parts. First curated collection explores in most unique ways how far children's imagination can take them to escape the horrors they're living through/or have lived through, or to help them boost their confidence or battle loneliness. From imaginary friends to superpowers to world-building, these are defence mechanisms that serve refuge. These imaginary friends can be created by children when they feel overlooked in their lives. Kids create imaginary companions as a way to not feel as lonely or helpless (Hoff, 2005). These defence mechanisms can follow children into adulthood causing grave mental reverberations to the extremist point of a fragmentation of the self; but more frequently chronic anxiety, panic attacks, emotional repression, isolation and loneliness, trust issues, lack of confidence... Coming To Light, Allan & Waspy, Henry & Eddy, Lea's Secret and Lonelyboy explore these issues in abstract, metaphorical ways creating gritty dramas as well as visual spectacles for the avid eye to decode. Bryers Cucumber Tostino's and Cactus Boy are more lighthearted and comedic in their depictions. Enjoy!
Second part includes more explicit stories depicting "unlikely allies", invisible enemies to our lead protagonists, who they think they can trust but who end up deceiving them and causing them a great deal of pain; the "nice" stranger who offers a lift, the popular high-school bully who is only nice behind closed doors, the loving but "demanding" parent, the homophobic parent... A Strange Calm, Juliet, Golden Girl, The Incredibly Short Life of Peter Panties, Aye, Boy, The McHenry Trial: Don't Judge A Kid By Their Hoodie, Be-Longing and Miss You, Dad are some of the best and grittiest coming-of-age dramas that depict some of the horrors children go through and that follow them into adulthood (from pedophilia, attempted abduction, abandonment/becoming orphaned, racial discrimination, homophobia, bullying, to parent pressure).
I know this streaming room will be arresting to watch, I know you'll join me in praising these filmmaker wolves and their cast/crews for their outstanding merits in storytelling and filmmaking to raise awareness on these social issues and help a misunderstood soul out there finally feel understood.
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References

· Hoff, Eva V. “A Friend Living Inside Me — The Forms and Functions of Imaginary Companions.” Imagination, Cognition and Personality, vol. 24, no. 2, 2005, pp. 151–190. ProQuest, http://db07.linccweb.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.db07.linccweb.org/docview/196600958?accountid=10674.

Adrian Perez @adrianperezceo
CEO, Film Festival Director, Chief Film Critic @lonelywolffest
Lonely Wolf: London International Film Festival
[email protected]