At last night’s FEEDBACK Film Festival (http://www.wildsound.ca/torontofilmfestivals.html) we showcased a Musical/Documentary short film called Suburban Deathcore (http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/suburban_deathcore.html). A film about the underground Deathcore community in suburban areas in North America. The film was really about the community these kids have performed and how they kind of stay out of trouble.
Another film we showcased was a short film from Luxenberg called Serena (http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/serena.html). A film about a group of teenage kids who really have too much time on their hands and how violence occurs one night when their inner angst and insecurity finally reaches a boiling point.
Two films. One film about a group of kids who dress unconventionally, listen to violent music, and are practically outsiders to the rest of the community. But they stay out of trouble because they express their inner angsts with their music. The other film about a group of average, upper middle class white kids who seem to have every advantage in the world. They get into a very violent situation because they really don’t know what to do with their inner aggressions.
So what does this have to do with sports? Football. The secondary theme of the TV series Friday Night Lights. How young men need a place to channel their inner aggressions while also belonging to a community that has a forward direction.
In the beginning era where football is on the way out for future generations of boys because of the sudden medical breakthroughs on concussions, perhaps there is still a purpose for this sport. Even though I played the game and got a lot out of it, I still won’t let my kids play it. But for other kids in other neighborhoods, perhaps football still has a life and there is positive aspect to it.
Male kids need to express their feelings in some organizational fashion. Football did that for me like the Deathcore music scene does for the kids in the documentary.
Matthew Toffolo's Summary 