Mathews has a deceptively subtle voice as a director, providing a supportive platform more than insisting on cinematic results. In distressed response, the project began as a transformative act β not merely a piece of theatre, but a collective assessment and bold step toward healing and understanding.
From project start, the creators intentionally blurred the lines between reality and performance to bring viewers on a deeply personal, collective journey of understanding and action.
These brave students led with vulnerability and authenticity, resulting in a film of undeniable power. I grew to better understand myself, my role in a community, and how I can be the best ally for the people around me. The group collectively laughed, cheered, and gasped along with the crowd, emotional to finally see their work on a big, festival screen.
It altered the way I saw myself on campus and inspired me to continue to pursue performance-based work as a force for change. And the Roleplay reach has since expanded, in both formats.
In mid-April, it was one of three films featured at the Yale Student Film festival, followed by a post-screening conversation moderated by Yale Communication and Consent Educators at the Ivy League university. The film needs to be standard viewing at every university. The issues are discussed and confronted by the students themselves and in their own words and voices, which brings unmistakable sincerity to the message.
