Playing Columbine
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Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

Made on a shoestring budget with entry-level middleware, "Super Columbine Massacre RPG!" has easily provoked more debate and discussion than one could imagine a 16-bit role-playing game ever would. In the documentary film "Playing Columbine: a true story of videogame controversy," the history of the game is traced back to its inception, through the 2006 shooting at Dawson College in which the game was singled out by the media as a "murder simulator" that "trained" the shooter, and finally the game's removal from the list of finalists at the Slamdance 2007 Guerrilla Gamemaker Competition - prompting half the entries and a sponsor to pull out of the festival in protest. Clearly the game has polarized audiences worldwide, giving way to ardent defenders as well as staunch critics. Beyond the controversial game itself, the film explores how controversial media is covered in the press, the school shooting phenomenon, and the future of games as an expressive medium.
Why It's FilmBuff
At FilmBuff, we can get behind controversy. Whether you agree or disagree with Ledonne, the film raises some very interesting points that are worth considering, at least. Are we afraid of the game because it’s actually disrespectful or because it’s just too real? A first person experience is often the most emotionally resonating. Is it the rise of new way to use the art of video games or just something made for shock value?

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94 mins -
Cast:
  • Albert Art
    ... Himself-Games Journalist
  • Peter Baxter
    ... Himself
  • Ian Bernard
    ... Himself-Free Talk Live Radio Host
Crew:
  • Director:
    Danny Ledone
  • Producers:
    Danny Ledone
Film Festivals:
  • Raindance Film Festival
  • Oxford Film Festival
  • Starz/Denver Film Festival
  • AFI Fest
Production Company:
Emberwilde Productions
Film Website URL