Event

Yonlu

Yonlu
Dir. Hique Montanari (Brazil, 2017)
1 hr 28 min

Yonlu is fiction film inspired by the true story of a 16 year-old boy who, aided by the internet, won over the world with his talent for music and art. Fluent in five languages, Yonlu had a network of virtual friends on all continents. However, no one suspected he was also taking part in a forum for potential suicides.

We had received many submissions this year about true stories that have occurred online and many of us could not even conceive of them...we are so lucky that our resident Constructed Identity Panel member and online expert commentator, Tatiana Pirogova, was here to truly give those of us who are befuddled by the sheer enormity of topics and forums and the like flowing out there in cyber space some clarification....AN

This is an incredibly dark film, but that's the intentional premise. There is intrinsic meaning behind each component of the film for example, most appropriately, the sets. From the start the contrast of his online and real life showed the dichotomy of those two worlds. When he's home, he's "acting" for his parents and the surroundings are blatantly shown to be just a set. The segments that depict his Internet interactions are unique, dark, and unfortunately accurate. I've seen forums like this, (especially those where "Incels" lurk), reflecting the darkness of their minds. Getting stuck in this perpetuating spiral of hatred towards themselves, the final outcome is often tragic as Yonlu's.
Tatiana Pirogova