Growing up Is Tougher Than It Looks in the 2025 deadCenter Youth In Revolt Shorts
As it turns out, the kids really aren’t alright. But are any of us? The 2025 deadCenter Youth In Revolt Shorts dive deep into topical and timeless issues that weigh heavily on children and teens around the world. Here’s how through six thought-provoking short films.
Pack Rat
For Baby Teeth (DeeDee Comet), a rural New Zealand teen, fitting in never felt so out of place. Once childhood friends, the group of boys she hangs with grows increasingly toxic. As Louie (Caleb Cameron Lee), the group’s insufferable leader, tests, pushes and harasses Baby Teeth, she begins to question her place among the pack.
Lucy Suess’ “Pack Rat” is an ideal opener for the block that plunges headfirst into its compelling lead’s plight. Suess’ raw, organic dialogue is unflinching, uncomfortable and exceptionally performed by Comet and Lee. While regional, “Pack Rat” feels just as applicable to the midwestern U.S. as it does in its setting on the opposite side of the world.
F*ck That Guy
In a down-home Connecticut suburb, getting older doesn’t come quickly enough. Tired of waiting to be treated like an adult, Frankie (Carys Douglas) seizes autonomy through the best way she can think of: sex. Beneath it all, she strives for the validation of her older friend (Victoria Pedretti), who continually pokes fun at Frankie’s stubborn mission.
Subtle and painfully real, Hanna Gray Organschi’s ”F*ck That Guy” expertly captures expectations rarely match reality. Douglas’ performance features a tact and discipline well beyond her years, bounding between playful defiance, solemn reflection and reverence for the friend she may soon lose. “F*ck That Guy” is light-hearted for the most past, but strikes a deeply emotional chord when it matters most.
Not Today
We can never fully know what someone else is going through. For a tight-knit group of young guys, endless jokes and punching down can lead to irreparable emotional damage. After Eric (Eric Ramos) secretly sees his friend Jaime (Jaime Leal) self-harming, he starts to question his own value as Jaime’s friend.
Christian Meola’s “Not Today” champions vulnerability over toxic masculinity. Crafted with a sincere and delicate touch, the film feels emblematic of so many young men. It’s also a stark reminder that “fitting in” rarely translates to happiness. “Not Today” illuminates the tragic cost of going with the flow and trying to remain “cool” when empathy and genuine support are incorrectly framed as lame and weak.
The Show!
As the public school systems fail to support students, all they have is each other. Samantha Herrera’s “The Show!” follows the beautiful friendship among high schoolers who can’t seem to fit in. Rachel (Rachel Gill), though soft-spoken, uses art and humor to help bridge the gap between her classmates. In doing so, she reveals that while unique, they all share at least a piece of each other’s struggles.
Made in collaboration with the Chicago public school district, “The Show!” is insightful without being overly prescriptive. Despite its short runtime, every character bursts with life. Herrera and her crew’s sense of humor doesn’t diminish the very real problems the film presents. Rather, it bookends the pain in a way that’s easier to digest.
The Thrilling Adventure of Amos Waters
Where can a kid get a Four Loko around here? Amos (Eric Burris) is a ten-year-old boy with a penchant for smoking cigarettes and pretending to be his dad. Beneath the playful jaunt and heart-warming story, the boy struggles to understand the illness that keeps his father practically bedridden.
Despite starring the youngest lead of the block, Ella Janes’ “The Thrilling Adventure of Amos Waters” maintains the same level of maturity. As Amos, Burris has a natural, commanding and humorous presence. His world feels colorful, sometimes cruel and undeniably lived in thanks to Janes’ disciplined direction. “Amos Waters” offers just a glimpse of Burris’s exciting potential.
Ebb & Flow
It doesn’t matter if bombs are falling overhead. The kids gotta live. In Nay Tabbara’s “Ebb & Flow,” Loulwa (Dona Atallah) seeks out her first kiss, even as her home of Beirut is thrust into seemingly nonstop, politically motivated violence.
“Ebb & Flow” has a charm that perfectly weaves into the very real violence of its backdrop. Even as the world around Loulwa and her friends crumbles, their story is pure and ultimately comes full circle. The short film is a crucial reminder that even in life’s darkest moments, we still have to find opportunities to smile. In other words, it’s an ideal conclusion to the deadCenter Youth In Revolt Shorts.
Find more deadCenter 2025 coverage like this at The Cinematropolis.
