In an industry that likes to sensationalize and dramatize the lives and experiences of teens, “I Am Mackenzie” is refreshingly different.
This short film, which won the SXSW Grand Jury Award in 2019, follows Mackenzie, a young skater grappling with ideas of masculinity and femininity, a crush on their skating partner August and having sex for the first time.
“I Am Mackenzie” stands out because it’s realistic, from the overall subject matter to the minute details.
The experience of growing up as a teen in a rural area is a subject I don’t often see featured in film. By setting this film in rural Texas, the writers and filmmakers make “I Am Mackenzie” feel familiar to those with rural upbringings. As a woman who grew up in a rural area, I felt instantly connected to Mackenzie when I saw their house looked similar to mine, and their dad had an old red pickup truck.
“I Am Mackenzie” also shows the rural version of popular teen activities like skateboarding. Most teens can’t directly relate to the content of skateboarding movies like “Mid90s,” but they can relate to a rundown, hometown skatepark.
The cinematography, done by the University of Mississippi’s own Sarah Hennigan, was also particularly reflective of a rural setting. “I Am Mackenzie” did not shy away from using natural and existing lighting, which beautifully captured the environment and worked to the film’s benefit. There were many moments throughout the 20-minute film where it felt like I was standing next to Mackenzie instead of watching from a third-person point of view.
If you’re a fan of FX’s “Atlanta,” certain scenes remind me of some of “Atlanta’s” first-season cinematography.
This film not only focuses on a rural teen, but also one exploring sexuality and self-expression, making it even rarer in the landscape of modern cinema.
“I Am Mackenzie” surprised me with its portrayal of teen sexuality. The film avoided both the downfall of ignoring teen sexuality and over-sexualizing teen characters. This film shows jealousy, the complexities of sexuality and experiences accurate to something a normal teen would encounter.
While this film makes gender expression a clear theme, it takes a second watch to pick up on all of the minute details to realize how complex this portrayal gets. Everything that Mackenzie does appears to have a double meaning that the viewer has to search for. These dual meanings help express the underlying message of just how complicated gender expression is.
I hope that other filmmakers take note of films like “I Am Mackenzie.” Films like this are the precursors to a renaissance of portraying young people’s real and complex lives.
