OPEN CALLS: Green Film Lab - Budapest, TFL Co-Production Fund & TFL Next - Feature Film
Projects
Skate or Hate
Five skaters occupy a vacant warehouse. Their actions turn into a fight with society and themselves.
In a city where skaters and society fight over public spaces, 16-year-old Sketchy suddenly is the hero: he has found an empty warehouse. “Skatopia” becomes the coolest skate spot in town. For Sketchy and his crew, a dream comes true. Skatopia feels like the only place where they can be themselves and they are ready to pick up the fight against anyone who wants to steal it from them: big companies, police, annoyed neighbours and other skate crews. But Sketchy has not told his friends that the fight is personal for him and that he initially claimed the warehouse to challenge his demanding father whose company is about to buy it. Sketchy does everything to protect Skatopia, but by doing so, he slowly turns into the person he hates most: his manipulative dad. Soon Skatopia starts triggering the worst in each character and, things get out of hand. Dixie’s homosexuality is unveiled, Puk ends up in jail, Elena deliberately injures herself and Brush lands in a coma. Will skating overcome the hating?
The "Skate or Hate" characters share a love for skating and hate against the world that rejects them. But they also have inner struggles and experience conflicts between the cool skater and the growing teenager, coping with love, parents, sexuality, drugs. They all wonder: to what extent do I have to adapt my identity to be loved and accepted? The skating world is a rewarding mirror for our society. Sexism, homophobia, drugs and identity issues are present, as are lifelong friendships between people from different backgrounds. The fight for Skatopia is the ongoing conflict that provides the structure and the tension of each episode. Skating is the visual fuel, providing the rhythm, a highly energetic look, feel, and of course guts, fun and humour. Today, teenagers often feel neglected by adults on topics like climate change and Covid. The skaters, who look and act a bit differently, are even literally chased away. "Skate or Hate" hopes to inspire teenagers to fight for their place in this world.
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