School can be a difficult time for anyone but once the end is in-sight stress and anxiety levels can go through the roof. This is the case in any year but we’re not living in ‘normal’ times. Students of today aren’t simply taxed by the troubles of growing up, plotting a future, exam results, relationships and family troubles. We’re living in a time of a pandemic in a world which is currently undergoing something of a reckoning.
Homeroom follows Oakland High School’s class of 2020 during one of the most tumultuous years in modern history. The usual anxieties over test scores and college applications are supplemented by local issues surrounding police in schools, the onset of COVID-19 and events surrounding the murder of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement. Peter Nicks follows a group of students as they wrestle with these issues.
Homeroom is a fascinating documentary which focuses on the impact of national and international events on a group of ordinary teenagers. We’re steered through these unprecedented times by some impressive filmmaking from Nicks, who showcased his talents on the likes of The Force and The Waiting Room. Homeroom is the third in a series of films looking at institutions in California and is arguably his best work yet.
Homeroom opens in US theatres and Hulu on 12 August.
