Bully (2011 film) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bully
Official theatrical release film poster of Bully
Directed by	Lee Hirsch
Produced by	Sarah Foudy Lee Hirsch Cynthia Lowen Cindy Waitt
Written by	Cynthia Lowen Lee Hirsch
Music by	Bishop Allen Michael Furjanic
Cinematography	Lee Hirsch
Editing by	Jenny Golden Lindsay Utz
Studio	Cinereach Where We Live Films
Distributed by	The Weinstein Company
Release date(s)	April 23, 2011 (2011-04-23) (Tribeca Film Festival) March 30, 2012 (2012-03-30) (United States)
Running time	99 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1.1 million
Money made	$3.6 million

Bully (first called The Bully Project) is an American documentary film from 2011. It was directed by Lee Hirsch and written by Cynthia Lowen. The movie shows the lives of five students who deal with bullying every day in schools across the U.S..

The film first showed at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. It also played at other festivals like the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. Bully was bought by The Weinstein Company right after its first showing. It came out in U.S. movie theaters on March 30, 2012.

The people who made Bully wanted it to help stop bullying. They hoped it would start a movement against it. The film was later released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 12, 2013.

What the Film is About

This documentary follows students and their families during the 2009–10 school year. These students live in different U.S. states like Georgia, Iowa, Texas, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. The film shows how hard it can be for young people to stand up for themselves when they are being bullied. It highlights the struggles they face and how it affects their lives.

People in the Film

The movie features real students and their families. They bravely shared their stories to help others understand what bullying is like.

• Ja'Meya Jackson
• Kelby Johnson
• Lona Johnson
• Bob Johnson
• Alex Libby
• Jackie Libby
• Philip Libby
• Maya Libby
• Jada Libby
• Ethan Libby
• Logan Libby
• Kim Lockwood
• David Long
• Tina Long
• Teryn Long
• Troy Long
• Devon Matthews
• Barbara Primer
• Kirk Smalley
• Laura Smalley
• Trey Wallace
• Tyler Lee Long (from old videos)
• Mercedes Banks
• Dean Donehoo
• Vickie Reed
• Jeff Johnson
• Howard Ensley
• Derek Parker
• Chloe Albright
• James Ramsey
• Paula Crandall

Film Music

The music in Bully helps tell the story and set the mood. Here are some of the songs and artists featured:

How the Film Was Made

The director, Lee Hirsch, was bullied when he was a kid. This experience made him want to make a movie about it. He wanted to show what bullied children go through, which often stays hidden.

He got help from a group called Fractured Atlas for some money. Other groups like the Sundance Institute also gave money to help make the film. The music for the movie was created by Ion Michael Furjanic and the indie band Bishop Allen.

Lee Hirsch shared that making the film was a way for him to deal with his past. He said it was hard to get help when he was bullied. People would tell him to "get over it." He hoped the film would encourage people to support those who are bullied. He wanted the movie to inspire action and help create lasting change.

Awards and Recognition

Bully received many awards and nominations for its important message and filmmaking. It was recognized at various film festivals and award shows.

• Best Documentary Feature Film (Won)
• Best Documentary Film (Won)
• Film of Conflict and Resolution (Won)
• Best LGBT (Won)
• Best Documentary (Won)
• Best Documentary Film (Won)
• Best Documentary (Won)

Images for kids

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  A robot representing kids.

See also

In Spanish: Bully (película de 2011) para niños