Teenage

 

I’m completely fascinated with this film. Teenage is a documentary about the emergence of the concept of being a teenager in the first half of the 20th century. The film tells the stories of four teenagers – from a German girl in the Hitler Youth to an African-American Boy Scout – through archival materials and diary entries. As of March 16th it should be in select theaters.

Teenagers didn’t always exist. They had to be invented. As the cultural landscape around the world was thrown into turmoil during the industrial revolution, and with a chasm erupting between adults and youth, the concept of a new generation took shape. Whether in America, England, or Germany, whether party-crazed Flappers or hip Swing Kids, zealous Nazi Youth or frenzied Sub-Debs, it didn’t matter – this was a new idea of how people come of age. They were all “Teenagers.”

 

Posted In create, video