I still remember the feeling of watching 'Tell The Kids We Tried' for the first time, and how it left me both disturbed and intrigued. It's a film that defies easy categorization, a messy, raw, and often uncomfortable exploration of identity, trauma, and the search for meaning. Jacob Brodovsky's debut feature is a true original, a cinematic equivalent of a Rorschach test that will leave you wondering what exactly you just saw.

The Problem with Mainstream Storytelling

One of the things that struck me about 'Tell The Kids We Tried' is its rejection of the traditional narrative structures that underpin most mainstream films. Brodovsky seems to be deliberately subverting our expectations, pushing the boundaries of what we're comfortable with and challenging us to confront the complexities of the human experience. It's not an easy watch, but it's a powerful one, and it's a testament to the director's bold vision that he's willing to take risks and push the boundaries of what's considered acceptable.

But, of course, that's also part of the problem. Mainstream storytelling has a way of sanitizing and simplifying the complexities of human experience, reducing them to neat little packages that we can easily digest and forget. Brodovsky's film is a rejection of that approach, but it's also a product of it. He's been shaped by the same cultural and cinematic influences that have shaped us all, and it shows in the way he frames his story and presents his characters. It's a messy, conflicted film that doesn't always know what it wants to say, but that's also what makes it so compelling.

𝚂o, I've got a bone to pick with our education system, and it's not just about the kids. It's about us – the parents, the teachers, the administrators – who are so busy trying to check all the boxes, we've lost sight of what's really important.

𝙲hange, Not Just Reform

I'm not just talking about tweaking the system; I'm talking about fundamental change. We need to stop treating education like a factory production line, where kids are mere widgets to be churned out and sold as "graduates".

Newsflash: kids are human beings, not products. They have their own unique strengths, weaknesses, and interests. And yet, we still insist on forcing them into these rigid molds of "standardized" learning.

𝙲hoosing Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Or, as my friend Jacob Brodovsky so aptly put it: "Tell the kids we tried". It's a phrase that's become a rallying cry for me, a reminder that we've got to stop trying to control every aspect of their lives and start giving them the freedom to explore, to experiment, and to fail.

Because, let's face it, that's where the real learning happens. Not in some sterile classroom, but in the messy, beautiful chaos of real life.

𝚂o, I know it won't be easy. I know there will be pushback from the powers that be, from the educators who've built their careers on this broken system. But I'm willing to take that risk, to challenge the status quo and fight for something better.

Better for our kids, who deserve to be seen as more than just future "employees" or "taxpayers". Better for our society, which will only thrive when we allow our children to grow into their full, messy, beautiful potential.

𝙲onclusion (and a Call to Arms)

It's time to tell the kids we tried. It's time to stop pretending that the current system is working, when it's clear that it's failing us all. And it's time to start building a new way – a way that prioritizes creativity, curiosity, and compassion over standardized tests and bureaucratic red tape.

So, who's with me?