Film Stylo at G.T. (Ellen Yeung) College: How Student Films Help Adults Understand Teen Mental Health

In January 2025, Babel Film Workshop organized a unique event at G.T. (Ellen Yeung) College that showcased how film can help teenagers express themselves and enable adults to understand them better. The event featured a screening of twelve student films on the theme “High Hopes,” created by Form 1-2 students, followed by a panel discussion on teen mental health.

The event was covered by Ming Pao journalist Hilary Chu, resulting in a feature article titled "Social Experiment: Cameras as Pens - Secondary Students Express Inner Thoughts Through Film," exploring how the Film Stylo program enables students to express their emotions through filmmaking in ways that traditional communication methods often cannot achieve.

The Power of Personal Expression Through Film

The student films, created over several months as part of Film Stylo, gave the school community a rare opportunity to see directly into the perspectives of teenagers. Responding to the theme "High Hopes," each student wrote a script, created a storyboard, filmed shots, recorded voice-overs, and edited their film.

One particularly moving film was created by Nathan Gao, who shared his experiences of feeling isolated in primary school and his subsequent journey of personal growth. Through his film, Nathan was able to express emotions that he typically found difficult to verbalize, using visual techniques like subjective camera angles and slow-motion to convey his inner thoughts.

As Nathan's father noted after watching the film, "I was surprised that he could express his emotions so clearly in the film, because he has never been great at expressing himself."

Revealing a New Side of Students

Ms. Sura Ng, Head of Moral Education Group at G.T. (Ellen Yeung) College, discovered new dimensions to students she had taught for years. "It's actually a completely new understanding, because students would never have such an opportunity to express this side of them to teachers," she observed during the panel discussion.

She further explained that while some teachers follow students' social media accounts hoping to understand them better, "what students share is very superficial and optimized for instant gratification." In contrast, the Film Stylo program helped students express more authentic aspects of themselves.

Ms. Ng was particularly struck by how the normally introverted students opened up: "Today was the first time I heard Nathan talk so much."

A Mental Health Perspective

Michelle Cheng, Acting Head of Programme (Youth Programme) at Mind HK, also attended the screening and participated in the panel discussion. She noted how the filmmaking process helps students process their emotions: "student filmmakers can sort out their emotions through the editing and filming process," adding that while Film Stylo is not art therapy, "the creative process helps students find their own voice in a non-judgmental way."

The Creative Process

From September to December 2024, our Curriculum Developer Matthew Leung worked with the students over nine sessions, guiding them through the creative process.

During the writing phase, Matthew encouraged students to express their authentic thoughts rather than what they believed teachers wanted to hear. As he explained, "When they know that there are others who want to listen and really care about their ideas, they will be more willing to share issues they are facing."

G.T. (Ellen Yeung) College is the first local school to participate in Film Stylo, which has previously been implemented in international schools. The event demonstrated how film can serve as a powerful medium for students to express themselves and adults to build empathy for students.

As we continue to expand Film Stylo to more schools, we remain committed to our mission of using creative expression to foster better understanding between young people and adults in their lives. To learn more about how Film Stylo can impact your school's approach to student mental health, you can contact us here or visit our website.