Why diverse coming of age films are so important – Gabriella Berkeley-Agyepong, St Philomena’s

There are many dangers of creating coming of age films with a lack of diversity, as for many young people this medium is the way that they can explore their own identity. Coming of age films are a way that young people come to understand that it is okay to grow up and to be unsure, they are supposed to be a way for young people to validate their experiences and feelings but for lots of people, the identification they should gain from these films is lost to them. Representation is a powerful thing and everyone’s story is important but by excluding groups of people within film, young people may feel that their feelings and experiences aren’t valid or aren’t ‘normal’ which may drive certain sections of the youth into a hole of isolation, the ‘you are not aloneisms’ aren’t afforded to everyone resulting in adolescents feeling not just like their stories don’t matter but also that their existence is futile. Moreover, we need to see more diverse coming of age films so that young people can understand that it is okay to grow up, so that young people come to realise that it is okay to not understand all the secrets of life at seventeen and that finding out who you are is a journey that continues through one’s entire life. More diverse films allow people to see characters that look like them, have a similar upbringing to them or have had the same experiences as them deal with what life throws at them, they can ensure that the youth of today know that they truly aren’t alone in their trials and tribulations. 

That’s why a lot of coming of age films that show a different experience or defy the rules that have been long followed by this genre of film have been critically acclaimed: Moonlight, Boyhood and Rocks are three examples of coming of age films that have pushed the expectations of the genre. Boyhood by being shot over 12 years as Linklater (the director) waited for the real-life actors to grow up; Moonlight by telling the story of coming to terms with who one is by showing a raw representation of the film’s main character accepting his own sexuality. Rocks, the most recent of these three films to be released, focuses on themes of child neglect, the foundations of friendships and mental health in modern-day multicultural London. The veneration of these films which are unique in creation and plotline highlights how there is a great desire for more films that discuss diversity of experiences and have a diverse cast.

So what can be done to ensure that coming of age films are diverse? Firstly, companies can hire writers from all walks of life. Film is an industry dominated by heterosexual, middle class, white men which is why most of the stories we see in coming of age films revolve around this group of people, so in order to create coming of age films with varying stories and characters companies should endeavour to work with more writers and directors from different backgrounds, who have had different experiences within the world. Furthermore, the changes we need to see in film need to be throughout the entire industry, from runners to executive producers, there needs to be more opportunities offered to people from diverse backgrounds so that the films that we watch successfully reflect the nuances of today’s youth. Finally, we should listen to younger people and what they want to see in these films. The world is always changing and the problems that young people struggle with today may not be the same as those that they struggled with ten years ago, so it is imperative that we listen to the voice of the youth and put films that reflect their experiences on the screen so that this medium that has been a comfort for so many people for so many decades can continue to help young people find their identity in this unpredictable game we call life.