In Lily Chou-Chou, the solace of the teens’ online community contrasts with the brutality of their face-to-face interactions. Online, as anonymous users, they reap all the rewards of companionship and sharing feelings without the risks of being seen—and seen as vulnerable.

Filmmaker magazine has a great write-up celebrating Iwai Shunji’s movie about people having greater connections online than they do in real life. Though it’s doubtful Iwai was intentionally divining what social media has become today, his story about teens finding solace in their online persona back in the the day of dial-up BBS communities now appears as nostalgic as period pieces harkening to a bygone day “when things were simpler,” perhaps even better. Now those brutal interactions mentioned in the quote above have become the bread & butter of social networks.

Read Joanne McNeil’s article on Filmmaker’s website here.

(Feature image courtesy of Film Movement)