Laugh at the Fat Kid
7:57 min
Narrative Short
Kristina Schoentag, Writer/Director/Producer
Winner of the Peter Yarrow Peace in Our Classrooms Award Sponsored by Frank Marshall
A young boy caught in a cycle of ridicule and overeating — what's wrong with this picture?
More About Laugh at the Fat Kid from the Director, Kristina Schoentag
Laugh at the Fat Kid started on the playground of a suburban elementary school. My little sister would come home from school riled up by the nonstop taunting of a particularly fat little bully. I found it odd that a boy with his own obvious shortcomings would provide such a burden of jokes and jeers upon his fellow classmates. Perhaps he did not know that he too could be the butt of a joke. So my sister and I came up with a plan, the next time he would start in on her she would turn and point at him (arm fully extended), then, at the top of her lungs yell out "Hey, everybody, laugh at the fat kid!" Of course she never went through with it. It was far too mean, and as our mother always taught us, try to be nicer to people than they are to you. Or something like that. Growing up a chubby dork myself, I went through my own hell of elementary school. The jokes and ridicule were right on target, but nonetheless left a lasting impression. While making Fat Kid I wanted to make sure to keep the situation true to reality. No happy ending where the hero gets the girl. No workout diet that pumps him into a superman. Just a regular boy who keeps on truckin' like we all do.
Find more films on Youth from MediaRights.
Kristina Schoentag, Director/Producer
A native of Hollywood, California, Kristina Schoentag spent many of her formative years being dragged behind the back of her brother's dirt bike in hopes of reenacting the most poignant scenes of Indiana Jones. Many years and a film degree later Kristina still has the same "make movies or die" attitude. Her films Laugh at the Fat Kid and Little Albert exhibit her unique ability to manipulate awkward into enchanting. In addition to producing for Disney and Yahoo!, Kristina has continued to develop characters for both the big and small screens. Most recently she has been working on another short film, Smarty Pants, as well as a pilot for a children's TV series. In addition, she is constantly writing in hopes of spotlighting the quirky and improbable sparks of life. You can reach her at kristina@schoentag.com.
Contact MediaRights to host a screening.
- Learn about overeating and good nutrition from KidsHealth.
- What you can do to stop bullying from the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center.
- Test your bullying prevention know-how through a fun game at Stop Bullying Now.