For the daring documentary series, ten young people were filmed by a film team from the time they started school to the prom Being a teenager. Interspersed with leaps in time and reflections that are sometimes frank, sometimes disarmingly clear, it plunges us right into the heart of youth.
Photo provided by Télé-Québec
These 10 young people come from different regions of Quebec, have different cultural backgrounds and each have different personal problems to overcome. Without knowing each other, without ever meeting each other, they leave childhood behind and transform into young adults before our eyes.
For director Marisol Aubé (Loto Méno, Passion Poussière) “it was an incredible experience,” demanding and certainly “the biggest headache ever.” [sa] Life”.
13-year-old Andreh gave a tour of the house his father is renovating for his family. Photo provided by Télé-Québec
“It’s such an important time, youth. Things happen that we carry with us throughout our lives. “We have experiences there that will shape our adult lives,” she told QMI Agency and hopes that the series will resonate and stimulate discussion among young people and parents alike.
“It's crazy to have had the privilege for five years of entering these homes, visiting these families and collecting the trusts that the teenagers had to give me,” she added, specifying that she did not have the role of a psychologist Mother still had the role of a psychologist, she just listened to them.
Young people have their say
As good players and participants, the teenagers entered into this unique social experience without asking too many questions, “and with all their naturalness,” emphasized the director, whose son Mika is one of the participants. “That’s the beauty of the show. We don't feel like they're making television. They're very real and I think it's still rare that we see teenagers so natural and real on TV,” she said.
Mika, 13 years old, after a confession, in the documentary series “Being a Teenager”. Photo provided by Télé-Québec
Without a net, over the course of 12 episodes (at least two per level), they address their performance anxiety, fear of dissatisfaction, the influence of others' views on their lives, their self-esteem, their changing body and their academic demotivation.
We see them go through major milestones like their first job, driving lessons, making new friends, experiencing their first loves and heartbreaks, discovering their identities and overcoming all sorts of challenges, including the pandemic that was invited when they were in the Secondary schools were 2.
Noah, 13 years old from Laval, taking his guitar lesson. Photo provided by Télé-Québec
“In secondary 5, I expected it to be too concrete as the transfer was getting closer, and [que les ados] would start censoring themselves, but not at all. Her final interviews/confidentials over these five years were so heartfelt and true that we wanted to sprinkle them throughout the episodes. “The interviews in the second five years were so much 'fun' and the look they took at the different years they went through was so impressive,” argued the director.
Your share of obstacles
Born on a farm, Victoria alone watches over dozens of goats and fears the judgment of others. Loïc is studying sports while Émy is working hard to take part in a similar program.
Victoria, 13, returns from a trip to Alberta. Photo provided by Télé-Québec
Andreh and his family fled the war in Syria, where they lived comfortably in the ISIS suburbs. When they arrived in Quebec they had to start from scratch. Since the parents' qualifications are not recognized, the whole family studies.
Rachel-Andrée, 13 years old, in one of her classes. Photo provided by Télé-Québec
For Mika, a type 1 diabetic, high school rhymes with friends and autonomy, while Rachel-Andrée sets out on the path to better self-esteem.
Jean-Émilien, 13 years old, from Mashteuiatsh. Photo provided by Télé-Québec
Ashley Deborah attends an immersion course in the Montréal-Nord district. Jean-Émilien, a shy boy from the Innu community of Mashteuiatsh in Lac-Saint-Jean, wants to be the first in his family to graduate from high school and wants to become a police officer. Benjamin and Noah, two childhood friends who don't attend the same high school, will each develop at their own pace.
Being a Teenager will be shown on Télé-Québec from January 11th at 8 p.m.