Skin Deep

Skin Deep is a powerful short film. Directed by Yousaf Ali Khan it is a film primarily about identity but it also explores racism and the influence of group mentality. I think that fact that the main character is a teenage boy, really makes a difference, being a similar age myself, as those feelings of wanting to belong are still really easy to identify. It makes the story so believable (the use of pov shorts really helps with this as well). And I think that is why I was so moved by it. I completely believed in Romo's pain and frustration and his anger.

I think the fact that Romo has a younger sister, who he has to look after and walk to and from school makes the story all the more horrible to watch. It is her innocence contrasted with Romo's anger, and the  choices he make - such as joining in with a group of racist gang in threatening a young Asian man, despite the fact that he is mixed race himself - that makes his actions so much more awful.

The film begins and ends with Romo looking at himself in the mirror, shouting racist abuse at his refection. The second time we see Romo do this at the end of the film, for me is the climax. The anger and hatred that Romo subjects himself to is hard to watch and one can't help remembering the title of the film. The shot ends with Romo seeing his younger sister in the mirror standing behind him. This works so well because it is a reminder of who he really is, where he as come from. It emphasises how wrong his actions are.

Overall, I think that Skin Deep is a really interesting piece of work and if it the aim of a film is to provoke you, emotionally involve you, make you think, then I'd say it does a pretty good job of it.