Melbourne-based video journalist Genevieve Bailey travelled around the world over the course of several years, talking to eleven-year olds from a number of different countries and backgrounds to discover their hopes and fears and expectations. The result was I Am Eleven, a rather fascinating documentary that premiered at the Melbourne Film Festival in 2011 and has travelled well on the festival circuit since. Bailey chose that age because it was one of the more positive times of her life, an age full of innocence, exuberance and idealism. No longer children, but not yet adolescents, eleven is an age when anything still seems possible. The children chosen here represent the next generation who will shape the future, and what they have to say should be interesting and relevant. They talk about issues such as bullying, the future, the environment, family, and even romance, with remarkable confidence, openness and sincerity. The film is essentially a series of snapshots of the various children at a certain age, and it is obvious Bailey feels great affection for her subjects. Unlike Michael Apted's epic 7 Up series or Gillian Armstrong's Smokes and Lollies, I Am Eleven is a one-off that has no real interest in following these children through later life, exploring how their youthful naivety may change. (Although in a sort of coda, Bailey does revisit a couple of the kids a year or so later). There are so many children here that only a handful of them manage to stand out. Jack is a British born boy who now lives in Thailand and works with elephants in a zoo and enjoys the freedom of his lifestyle. Remi is a French boy who seems articulate, wise and mature beyond his years, and his observations on the world around him are worth listening to. Billy is a slightly overweight and shy British boy whose observations about girls and their girlish ways bring some touches of humour to the film. "If I was a girl my life would be horrid," he says. "I do like girls but I don't like the girlish stuff they do." And despite her impoverished background in a small village in Morocco, young Siham seems filled with a sense of optimism. What we learn of their daily lives is also interesting. Bailey, who has a background in short films with her collaborator Jarrah Gurrie, acts as narrator, cinematographer and editor of the film here. Unfortunately, the film is let down by its structure, which lacks cohesion, and some moments that seem repetitive. Bailey jumps around all over the place so that it becomes hard to keep track of who is who. Bailey clearly needed another editor on the project who would be able to bring a more objective view to the rich wealth of material. Another editor may also have been able to impose a tighter more cohesive structure on the material. The score from Melbourne musician Nick Huggins nicely balances the material. But it is the natural presence of the kids themselves and their often surprising and unrehearsed responses that ultimately makes I Am Eleven a fascinating and insightful documentary. One just wishes that it had been tighter and more focused.
6 Reviews
a series of snapshots of the various children at a certain age
gregking417 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Good Film - Too Narrow?
AJBraxton11 October 2014
The other reviewers here have articulated my view of this film. I went to see it because I have spent a good quarter century teaching 11 year olds and know the "magic" that they bring to the world. Want to be more optimistic about the future of humankind - hang out with some 11 year olds for a while. This film affords everyone the opportunity to do that. What I found a bit disconcerting was the film makers choice to travel to Thailand and spend the majority of the time interviewing an English speaking (British Expat) child when she could have taken the time to spend more time interviewing and seeing the life of the 11 year old Thai boy Goh. We did learn from Jack (the expat boy) that he indeed was pretty similar to all the other 11 year olds in the film, but I kept wanting to know more about Goh.
A heartwarming, charming and life-affirming composite portrait of children around the world.
richardleighwatts15 January 2013
Shortly after young Melburnian Genevieve Bailey's father died, she embarked on her first trip overseas intent on doing something with her life.
Most people in her position would have thrown themselves into a series of hedonistic backpacking adventures, but not Bailey. Armed only with a digital video camera and unbridled optimism, the 20-something filmmaker set off to interview a wide range of children about their experiences of being 11 years old in a world that is changing as rapidly as they are themselves.
From Thailand and India to France and Japan, over the next four years more than a dozen 11 year olds – some affluent, some poor; no longer quite children, but not yet teenagers – spoke candidly and openly to Bailey about love, war, global warming, music, terrorism, culture, family, happiness, religion and the future.
Bailey's resulting documentary, a composite portrait of children around the world, is heartwarming, charming and life-affirming: a remarkable and engaging tapestry of young hopes, fears and dreams.
Melburnian Jamira talks about how proud she is of her Indigenous heritage and her father, who is raising her singlehandedly; young Frenchman Remi speaks passionately about his disdain for racism and his country's failure to deal with inequality and poverty; and in Thailand, Jack and Goh share their experiences of working in an elephant sanctuary.
Bookended by Bailey's deeply personal introduction to the documentary and a summing up of the experience of making it, the film includes sequences in which the young protagonists reveal startling insights into bullying and mental resilience, sweetly innocent attitudes towards romance and relationships, and remarkable self-awareness as they speak about not wanting to grow up too fast.
The patchwork assemblage of footage is linked together by the children's commonalities and shared experiences, such as a series of discussions about bullying; a guided tour of their homes; a sequence of dance routines. Though one occasionally wishes for more extended interviews rather than constant snippets of discussion, the overall effect is both detailed and delightful.
At numerous times while watching the film I was choking back tears; at other moments I was laughing unrestrainedly. Insightful, compassionate and poignant, I Am Eleven is highly recommended.
Most people in her position would have thrown themselves into a series of hedonistic backpacking adventures, but not Bailey. Armed only with a digital video camera and unbridled optimism, the 20-something filmmaker set off to interview a wide range of children about their experiences of being 11 years old in a world that is changing as rapidly as they are themselves.
From Thailand and India to France and Japan, over the next four years more than a dozen 11 year olds – some affluent, some poor; no longer quite children, but not yet teenagers – spoke candidly and openly to Bailey about love, war, global warming, music, terrorism, culture, family, happiness, religion and the future.
Bailey's resulting documentary, a composite portrait of children around the world, is heartwarming, charming and life-affirming: a remarkable and engaging tapestry of young hopes, fears and dreams.
Melburnian Jamira talks about how proud she is of her Indigenous heritage and her father, who is raising her singlehandedly; young Frenchman Remi speaks passionately about his disdain for racism and his country's failure to deal with inequality and poverty; and in Thailand, Jack and Goh share their experiences of working in an elephant sanctuary.
Bookended by Bailey's deeply personal introduction to the documentary and a summing up of the experience of making it, the film includes sequences in which the young protagonists reveal startling insights into bullying and mental resilience, sweetly innocent attitudes towards romance and relationships, and remarkable self-awareness as they speak about not wanting to grow up too fast.
The patchwork assemblage of footage is linked together by the children's commonalities and shared experiences, such as a series of discussions about bullying; a guided tour of their homes; a sequence of dance routines. Though one occasionally wishes for more extended interviews rather than constant snippets of discussion, the overall effect is both detailed and delightful.
At numerous times while watching the film I was choking back tears; at other moments I was laughing unrestrainedly. Insightful, compassionate and poignant, I Am Eleven is highly recommended.
A Gem
poppyshmith24 January 2013
Genevieve Bailey's journey through the lives and minds of eleven year old children globally, is genuinely heartwarming and insightful. Never veering into sentimentality, Bailey's sensitive portraits reveal some innermost truths, startling points of view - and moments of utter hilarity. Accompanying several 11 year olds through their everyday lives, Bailey captures their thoughts from on diverse range of subjects - from love, friendships and familial relationships - through to dreams, bullying and the environment. At turns surprisingly poignant and funny, it's a colourful ride from country-to-country, where each child is obviously so at ease with Bailey and her camera that they are simply, wonderfully, themselves. Beautifully shot with a melodic soundtrack, it's a gem of a film.
Authentic, travelogue, Ideal Family Film
lkantorfinn19 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This doc does an excellent job showing kids from all over the world, how they're similar, different and everything in between. It's truly a labor of love, I brought my 12 year old to see it and I'm convinced he got to see other kids experiences from different cultures that will both highlight what it is to be an American and how others live. Very cool to see kids who are thinking so broadly and to see that other cultures while maybe not materially wealthy have out of this world experiences that any iPhone carrying kid will still be jealous of. Authentic filmmaking, reminiscent of the Up Series, I only hope they'll figure out a way to follow up with these kids!
A telling tale where the wonders of childhood meet the gripping reality of adolescence.
Jonathon_Natsis27 July 2013
Documentary filmmaker Genevieve Bailey's immersive style of globe-trotting storytelling blends effortlessly with a colourful cast of subjects for I Am Eleven, an intriguing and intricate look into the common forces - and salient differences- that shape children all over the world.
As the title may suggest, Bailey has assembled a fascinating group of pre-teens from fifteen different countries, each with their own histories, difficulties and ambitions, but a heartbreaking tale of poverty clashing with first-world problems this is not. Bailey, with the use of a blunt hammer in favour of a soft touch, could have easily delivered a wrought portrait of humanity against a grim backdrop peppered with finger-pointing, but she instead address the more positive aspects of childhood; the little things in life that affirm the human experience.
Naturally, it is the colourful cast that enriches the message, as each child, while sharing stark similarities with a couple of others, is inherently a unique specimen; a product of their environment as much as their upbringing. A pair of Swedish rappers, a triple threat All-American girl, a free-thinking but mentally disabled British boy, an Indian orphan, a wise-beyond-his- years Frenchman and an aspiring fiction writer, born in London but living in the Czech Republic, make up only some of the peculiar but absorbing personalities.
Their responses to Bailey's open-ended questions are sometimes silly, occasionally profound but always constructive, as by the end of the film the audience has a very detailed idea of who these children are and where they might be headed. Or so we think. A motza of special features (that includes audience Q&As with Bailey and behind the scenes footage) is highlighted by a follow-up visit with many of the film's most arresting individuals, most of whom have taken their lives in drastically different directions than originally intended by their wide-eyed past selves. Despite the implications, Bailey steers clear of a preachy conclusion, instead allowing the film's foremost theme of global commonality to speak for itself.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*
As the title may suggest, Bailey has assembled a fascinating group of pre-teens from fifteen different countries, each with their own histories, difficulties and ambitions, but a heartbreaking tale of poverty clashing with first-world problems this is not. Bailey, with the use of a blunt hammer in favour of a soft touch, could have easily delivered a wrought portrait of humanity against a grim backdrop peppered with finger-pointing, but she instead address the more positive aspects of childhood; the little things in life that affirm the human experience.
Naturally, it is the colourful cast that enriches the message, as each child, while sharing stark similarities with a couple of others, is inherently a unique specimen; a product of their environment as much as their upbringing. A pair of Swedish rappers, a triple threat All-American girl, a free-thinking but mentally disabled British boy, an Indian orphan, a wise-beyond-his- years Frenchman and an aspiring fiction writer, born in London but living in the Czech Republic, make up only some of the peculiar but absorbing personalities.
Their responses to Bailey's open-ended questions are sometimes silly, occasionally profound but always constructive, as by the end of the film the audience has a very detailed idea of who these children are and where they might be headed. Or so we think. A motza of special features (that includes audience Q&As with Bailey and behind the scenes footage) is highlighted by a follow-up visit with many of the film's most arresting individuals, most of whom have taken their lives in drastically different directions than originally intended by their wide-eyed past selves. Despite the implications, Bailey steers clear of a preachy conclusion, instead allowing the film's foremost theme of global commonality to speak for itself.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*
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