Screening in a new restoration, Jennifer Vendetti’s groundbreaking coming-of-age film follows 15-year-old Billy as he navigates the trials of adolescence in small-town Maine. Funny, sharp, and strangely wise for his age, Billy is, in many ways, like other teenage boys. He's into heavy metal, is desperate to find a girlfriend and aspires to a career as a rock star. But in other ways, Billy is unique. A troubled past with behavioural issues has left him marked. But he refuses to be victimized by these differences. “I don’t let it go to my head. I’m just someone who was born different from others.” Using intimate fly-on-the-wall footage, Vendetti lets Billy’s story unfold with great sensitivity and without bias. In the process, she challenges us to understand this triumphant teen on his own terms—and imagine ourselves beyond labels.

 Closed Captions are available for this screening 

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