A World of Difference (1997, 12 minutes) Narrated by Meera Syal Alien abduction saves Natalie from the menace of the school bullies and takes her off to the planet Helicon, where she is asked to solve a problem of failing Purple students. It is a world in which racial harassment, bullying and cultural denial are as much part of the school timetable as history and art. Natalie flies through the school on her hover-saucer, trying to make sense of an alien environment: why do the Purple students need to wear special protective clothing, what has made 'Greensleeves' and 'Ten Green Bottles' such popular songs, why does Violet draw herself with a green crayon, and what did happen to Purple Studies? Given confidence by her experiences of significant improvements within her own school on Earth, she is able to help her alien friends begin to sort out their affairs and convince the head teacher of the reality of a serious 'Green Problem', before returning home to confront her own harassers. A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE is an entertaining and thought provoking film. Its use of animation within a science fiction genre prevents the stereotyping of either victims or perpetrators. There is a positive message about the effectiveness of good school practices. The film is suitable for a wide audience but is particularly designed for use with upper primary and secondary school students to act as a catalyst for discussion. A booklet containing discussion notes and a resource list is supplied free with the DVD. A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE is also available in Greek. This film was made with financial assistance from the European Commission. Tweet
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