Star Wars Kid: The Rise of the Digital Shadows

Canadian International Pictures

Star Wars Kid: The Rise of the Digital Shadows

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This special limited edition slipcover (designed by Colin Murdoch) is limited to 1,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.

From arthouse to Canuxploitation, Canadian International Pictures (CIP) is devoted to resurrecting vital, distinctive, and overlooked triumphs of Canadian cinema. This label is focused on the country’s original cinematic boom years – spanning the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s – occasionally venturing past that period (and the country’s borders) to highlight the films of Canada’s most inspired actors and filmmakers. Vinegar Syndrome’s sister company, OCN Distribution, is thrilled to be representing CIP's brand new line of home video releases!

Decades after becoming an internet sensation, Ghyslain Raza breaks his silence

In April 2003, a video of lightsaber-wielding teenager Ghyslain Raza arrived online and became a worldwide sensation, eventually earning more than a billion views. Widely perceived as a misguided Star Wars fanatic hungry for attention, Raza only had a casual interest in the franchise, and the original tape was a camera test for a school project he never intended to show anyone. Shared without his consent, the video went on to saturate mainstream culture, but rather than benefit from this attention, Raza was ridiculed, hounded by the press, and bullied by his classmates, ultimately forcing him to withdraw from school and all aspects of public life.

In Star Wars Kid: The Rise of the Digital Shadows, Raza breaks his silence, revealing how this internet phenomenon became a harrowing personal ordeal – and the path he took to restore his self-esteem and find a sense of purpose as an adult. Fleshing out Raza and his experience, director Mathieu Fournier brings new depth to a story that went global without going deep and even brings Raza into contact with the blogger who turned him into a meme. It’s a potent look at high-tech harassment and disturbing new threats emerging online today.

directed by: Mathieu Fournier
starring: Ghyslain Raza, Andy Baio, Jean-Michel Berthiaume, Christian Bouchard, Amanda Brennan, Nina Duque, Kate Eichhorn, Katharina Niemeyer, Jonathan Trudel
2022 / 80 min / 1.78:1 / English, French DTS-HD MA 5.1

Additional info:

Region A Blu-ray
New audio commentary featuring Fournier, producer Pierre-Mathieu Fortin, and subject Ghyslain Raza
New audio commentary featuring Patrick Cotnoir of The George Lucas Talk Show and Star Wars Insider‘s Brandon Wainerdi
New interview with Fournier
Ghyslain Raza Q&A
Extended interview with professor Nina Duque
Star Wars Kid trailer and teasers
Double-sided poster
Reversible cover artwork
English SDH subtitles

Overall rating: 3.6666667 / 5 from 6 reviews.

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Reviews

Surprisingly Impactful

"Star Wars Kid: The Rise of the Digital Shadows is a surprisingly emotional documentary that turns an old internet joke into a much deeper story about online bullying and viral fame. What starts as nostalgia for one of the internet’s earliest viral videos slowly becomes a thoughtful look at how badly the internet can treat ordinary people, especially kids. It’s honest, uncomfortable at times, and a really interesting reflection on how internet culture has evolved over the years."

— Shawn M. (4/5)

Star Wars Kid. . . just watch the video

"Not much content here and not very interesting. Just google the video and watch that (you have to by the way. . . because this doc does not even show the whole thing!)"

— Dustin G. (1/5)

Great film!

"Ghyslain Raza, better known as the "Star Wars Kid, " breaks his silence to reflect on our hunger for content and the right to be forgotten in the digital age."

— Sebastian V. (5/5)

Its a shame people seem

"Its a shame people seem to just be getting worse. Too many people have only see the video but not enough have seen its impact."

— Corey D. (4/5)

Good doc

"Interesting subject. Lots of extras"

— Randall B. (5/5)

Star Wars Kid Review

"Movie was ok, packaging was great"

— Blake B. (3/5)