The 2022 Oscars are in the book, but there is still time to catch up on all of the nominated films you may have missed, or revisit some of your favorites. One of this year’s Oscar-nominated documentary short films, When We Were Bullies, airs tomorrow night on HBO at 9pm ET, and will also be available to stream starting tomorrow on HBO MAX.
When We Were Bullies, directed by Jay Rosenblatt, begins with a mind-boggling coincidence from 25 years ago, which ultimately leads filmmaker Rosenblatt to track down his fifth-grade class to see what they remember from a bullying incident that occurred 50 years ago.
Weaving together a collage of archival material, found footage, stop-motion animation, and interviews with classmates and a teacher from the time, the film is a highly personal look back at a Brooklyn schoolyard incident that had been obscured by the elusive nature of memory but had resonated for decades. In a playful yet poignant reflection, Rosenblatt begins to understand his complicity, his sense of shame, and the shared nature of such incidents and their aftermath.
Rosenblatt is an internationally recognized artist and has completed more than 30 films. His work explores our emotional and psychological cores. His films have received more than 100 awards and have been screened throughout the world. Rosenblatt is a recipient of a Guggenheim, USA Artists and a Rockefeller Fellowship. He is currently the Program Director of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.
Cherry the Geek TV sat down with Rosenblatt to discuss the making of the film, the people in it, his collaborators, and the Oscars. You can check out the interview by clicking on the link below:
WHEN WE WERE BULLIES is can be seen in select theaters and will be on HBO and HBO MAX, starting March 30th.
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