Star Wars Kid: The Rise of the Digital Shadows

Showings

Film Info
Type of Film/Event:Feature
Runtime (minutes):80
Genre:Documentary
Original Language:French
English
Subtitles (Language):English
Global Landscapes:Global Landscapes
Cast/Crew Info
Cast:Ghyslain Raza
Director:Mathieu Fournier
Producer(s):Annie Bourdeau (Urbania)
Pierre-Mathieu Fortin (NFB)
Screenwriter:Mathieu Fournier
Jonathan Trudel
Cinematography:Maxime Pilon-Lalande
Music By:Boris Goltz
Editor:Andreas Menn

Description

In this doc on the first viral phenomenon of the digital age, Ghyslain Raza (the “Star Wars Kid”) breaks his silence and reflects on his story for the first time. In doing so, he also explores our collective experience living in an online world in which we have to make peace with our digital shadows. A young boy was innocently playing around and recording himself. Later, someone would share the result and start a global phenomenon.


Before the rise of YouTube and Facebook, Ghyslain Raza became an internet star better known as the Star Wars Kid. It wasn't on purpose, or even wanted, but he's learned to move past it and hopes others can do the same. 


"I'm not the Star Wars Kid, I'm Ghyslain. This is a sort of character, to call it that, that has its own life separate from me on the web. It was never me," Raza told The Current's Matt Galloway. "But there is a lesson there that, especially if this digital shadow becomes overpowering, it's important to not let yourself be defined by something external to you."


Preceded by the music video “KAJO | REM Koolhaus”. See link below.

Included Shorts

KAJO | REM Koolhaus (5min) More

Additional Information

This Film Presented by

and in Honor of
JIM BOYCE & KRIS OTIS