Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company announced today the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD release of BULLY, the critically-acclaimed documentary film that sparked a national movement that rallied people to stand up to bullying, hate, and intolerance. Directed by Lee Hirsch, BULLY follows the lives of five students whose stories each represent a different facet of America’s bullying crisis, and the families that fight for them. A call to action, the film not only captured the attention of the country, but fostered a national dialogue about bullying, uniting parents, teachers, and students in the fight against the violence that has gone unchecked for too long in our schools. Timely and significant, BULLY heads to retail on February 12, 2013 for an SRP of $29.99 for the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and $24.98 for the DVD.
TIME Magazine film critic, Richard Corliss, called BULLY “A movie your kids must see.” Wrote film critic, Claudia Puig, in her review for USA Today, “Bully should be required viewing for everyone, including parents, teachers, and school officials.” Added Rolling Stone film critic, Peter Travers,”Lee Hirsch’s film is a potent and provocative look at a problem that’s out of control.” Said People Magazine‘s, Alynda Wheat, BULLY is “Powerful.
Here are the facts: Thirteen million kids will be bullied in the U.S. this year, making bullying the most common form of violence experienced by young people in the nation. Three million students will be absent each month because they feel unsafe at school. Thirty percent of children who reported being bullied said they sometimes brought weapons to school. School personnel are reported to notice or intervene in only one out of every twenty-five incidents. Fifty percent of the time, when an upstander intervenes in bullying, the bullying stops within ten seconds. Bullying is a serious problem, and the solutions belong to us all.
The Bully Project, the social outreach campaign inspired by the film, has screened BULLY for more then 250,0000 educators and students nationwide, in a supported educational context, including curriculum and professional development tools to enrich the experience. From screenings at the White House to citywide summits in Cleveland, San Francisco, and Salt Lake City, the filmmakers have built a tremendous network of partners and experts. BULLYdirector Lee Hirsch, in an article for Origin. Magazine, wrote, “Sometimes it is the emotional experience of film and television that bring a cause to our hearts and stir us to action – they inform and inspire.” After seeing this film, leaders from the worlds of Hollywood, fashion, politics, business and sports – including President Barack Obama, Meryl Streep, Ellen DeGeneres, Johnny Depp, the New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees, Tommy Hilfiger, Justin Bieber, Kelly Ripa and Anderson Cooper – publicly lent their support to amplify the message of BULLY.
From Sundance Award-winning filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, comes a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary following five kids and families over the course of a school year. Offering insight into different facets of America’s bullying crisis, the stories include two families who have lost children to suicide and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter, who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. With an intimate and often shocking glimpse into homes, classrooms, cafeterias and principals’ offices, BULLY is a powerful and inspiring film that every educator, parent and teenager should see.
The BULLY Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD special features include a Filmmaker Q&A, Featurettes, Celebrity PSAs, and Deleted Scenes. Note: Special features are subject to change.
Make a difference. Join the movement. Learn more about BULLY at :www.thebullyproject.com