I Am Gen Z
I Am Gen Z is a 2021 documentary film about the impact of the digital revolution on human society, the brain, and mental health, and how the forces driving the revolution are working against humanity. This has huge ramifications for the first generation growing up with mobile digital technology—Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2012.
Produced by Chantelle De Carvalho and directed and edited by Liz Smith, the film's music was composed by film composer Kim Halliday. I Am Gen Z premiered at the 2021 Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival. The film is available in two versions: 100 minutes and a shortened 52 minutes.
The issues raised in the film are of interest not only to Gen Z members but also to parents, carers, and educators. The film attempts to promote a greater understanding of the effects of technology on the mental health and development of young people. Part of that endeavour is an innovative programme of educational outreach that runs alongside broadcast and VOD releases.
Background
The documentary juxtaposes expert testimony against commentary and content from Generation Z contributors, the first generation to grow up with mobile digital technology. Contributing psychologists, scientists, writers and digital technologists include Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, Tim Kendall, Natasha Devon, Paul Barrett, Jack Lewis, Jamie Bartlett, Clive Thompson, Paul Marsden, Johnny Tooze, Marc Atherton, Leslie Carr, Simon Wessely, David Halpern and Kathy Sheehan.The film explores a wide variety of issues facing the Generation Z community, including the effect of smartphones, body image and self-harm, mental health, dating and relationships, the power of algorithms and artificial intelligence, misinformation, and conspiracy theories. Experts explain the nature and science of each issue, along with discussions and content from Generation Z who have been affected or influenced by them.
Synopsis
An investigation through expert interviews and the web lens of Generation Z, the documentary explores the impact of the digital revolution on our society, our brains and our mental health, how the forces driving it are working against humanity and have put us on a dangerous trajectory that has huge consequences for the first generation growing up with "always on" mobile digital technology.Unfiltered viewpoints from a cast of Generation Z characters are expressed through their screen worlds, interplaying with expert analysis from psychologists, scientists, writers and digital technologists from the Generation X and Boomer years, as we explore how the explosion of the digital revolution is impacting our society, our brains and mental health.
This exploration of Generation Z shows the new normal for many young people today, whether in a small town in Arizona, London or the hubbub of New York. With self-deprecating humour, they talk to us in their language, through TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.
The children of Generation Z are becoming adults in a world mediated by digital technologies with little or no transparency, a planet facing climate change and an unprecedented global pandemic. We see the unfiltered reality of the mental health issues that Generation Z face, we are challenged to question: were we not blind to how smartphones would affect the lives of those being born around that time? Digital technology promised so much, but are the forces driving it too powerful for us to prevent a negative effect on the futures of Generation Z? Generation Z tell us how they see their future and how they refuse to be the ones to allow the negative effects to win.
Cast
- Preston Seraph—American Generation Z activist
- Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, Ph.D.—Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the City University of New York
- Noella—American Generation Z activist
- Lucy Rydell—American Generation Z activist
- Tim Kendall—CEO of Moment, former president of Pinterest, & former director of monetization at Facebook
- Natasha Devon—British writer & activist
- Jack Lewis—British neuroscientist, television personality & author
- Paul Marsden—British consumer psychologist
- Marc Atherton—British chartered psychologist and behavioural scientist
- Lottie Hartnack—Generation Z musician
- MIRI—musician
Educational Outreach
Part of the release programme for I Am Gen Z is an educational outreach licence, which allows schools, colleges and universities to screen the film in an educational context to students and academics. These licences allow the film to be shown as part of wider discussion, learning and understanding of the issues raised in the film, with additional material to support lesson planning, including virtual or personal appearances by the filmmakers and musicians from the film.Reception
The response to the film has been largely positive, but particularly in educational settings, where comments included "Sometimes you watch a film and wish it could be screened in every school, not just for the pupils but also their parents and teachers"., and "the ground covered is impressive and the talking heads... do know what they’re talking about".The film has been successful in many Human Rights Film Festivals around the World, and was also shown at CPH:DOX, Raindance Film Festival.
The film won the Best Feature award at the 2022 in New York.
| One World Festival | Prague | Czech Republic | 10 May – 6 Jun 2021 | |
| CPH:DOX | Copenhagen | Denmark | May 2021 | World Premiere |
| Screening hosted by The Weizenbaum Institute in collaboration with the Goethe Institute | Berlin | Germany | 5 Aug 2021 | |
| Solidarity Human Rights Film Festival | Tel Aviv, Jerusalem | Israel | 11 & 18 Dec 2021 | In Competition |
| Karama Human Rights Film Festival | Amman | Jordan | 5 – 10 Dec 2021 | |
| Beat Festival | Moscow | Russia | 8 Jun 2021 | |
| Atlantida Film Festival | Mallorca | Spain | 25 Jul – 26 Aug 2021 | |
| Raindance Film Festival | London | United Kingdom | 27 Oct – 7 Nov 2021 | UK Premiere |
| United Nations Association Film Festival | Palo Alto, CA | United States of America | 24 Oct 2021 | US Premiere |
| Manchester Film Festival | Manchester | United Kingdom | 18 Mar 2022 | In Competition |
| NYC Indie Film Festival | New York, NY | United States of America | 15 Jun 2022 | |
| Lower East Side Film Festival | New York, NY | United States of America | 7th – 11th Jul 2022 | Winner - Best Feature |