From James Dean’s portrayal of a troubled teen looking for love in Rebel Without a Cause to Ellen Paige’s sweet depiction of a pregnant teen in Juno, teen love has long been examined on the silver screen. But what is teenage dating really like today? KERA takes viewers inside the world of five teenage girls from North Texas as they navigate the joys and sorrows of their romantic relationships over the course of one year.
The young women featured in the documentary openly discuss their hopes and fears, choices of sex or abstinence, dependence and independence and their dreams for the future. The girls are from different economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and are featured with their boyfriends, parents, children and friends.
“Spending so much time with the girls, I found them to be very honest and surprisingly candid,” says Sujata Dand, director and producer of the project. “There is so much that happens in their young lives. I hope their stories highlight the complexities of being a teenager and resonate with a teen audience.”
The documentary has a companion web site, boyfriends.kera.org, which serves as a comprehensive source for teens, their parents, their teachers and their friends. The site contains tips, advice from experts and informative articles on healthy relationships and a healthy you.
Boyfriends continues a proud tradition of original programming produced by KERA. To find out about the people behind Boyfriends, or for more information about the station, click the links below:
