SUPER ME is a docudrama interviewing 21 child superheroes from Trinidad and Tobago. At a time when their nation and world is in crisis, these young heroes share their secrets for the first time. They discuss their individual powers, their methods of coping with adversity, and their personal solutions for positive change. They also allow us into their daily lives, showing us the more human side of being superheroes. We get a rare glimpse into the dual existence of these brave icons, witnessing their days in school and at home, as well as exclusive interviews with their super selves, as they share their secret identities and messages with us.
SUPER ME is an advocacy film for Summer Heroes, a not for profit art based programme launched in 2012. Summer Heroes’ Director Jaime Lee Loy received a production grant to create a programme for children’s content. She chose to produce a documentary – not about SUMMER HEROES, but about select children of the programme and their creative invented superhero avatars.
As with the programme, the children in the film created their own superhero identities which are based primarily on their own strengths, vision of a more powerful self, and their keen or growing sense of social responsibility. Their superheroes represent their inner selves, – what they recognize to be their real identity, as well as their imagined improved psyche.
This film contributes to the advocacy component of the programme, whereby the young heroes can explore their leadership capacity and social responsibility through their participation in the film. These are two integral aspects of the overall SUMMER HEROES programme in addition to creativity and self confidence.
(Image Below: CAPTAIN TRINBAGO from a SUMMER HERO in 2012. Published in the SH collection)
FEATURED SUPERHEROES from the programme 2012 (ages 6 and over):
Super Five Diego Martin
Super Derek Morvant
Sunflower Girl Tacarigua
Fire Man Tobago
Captain Trinidad Macoya
Half Woman South Trinidad
Alfa Freeze Port of Spain
Mighty Man San Juan
Super Atisha Couva
Super Boy Lightning Mayaro
SUPERHEROES NOMINATED BY CREATIVE TALENTS:
Super Sarah Moka
Wonder Writer Federation Park
Mood Goddess St Anns
VOLUNTEER HERO GROUP (heroes ages 5-7)
– Heroes that volunteer with SUMMER HEROES for Outreach
St Anns, Cascade, Maraval, Diego Martin
Super Mario Logan
Super Sonic Isaiah
Super John Michael
Princess Krystal
Super Sahara
Princess Jade
Brave Bella
FEATURED HERO- NARRATOR (age 11)
(Summer Heroes was inspired by and is dedicated to Super Kayla who has chosen an avatar of NINJA GIRL for this film, and who is head of the Volunteer Group)
Super Ninja Maraval
SPECIAL COMMENTARY:
GOODWILL HEROES: SPECIAL UNIT (ages 15 to 41. Cognitive ages 5 to 15)
Superheroes from the SUMMER HEROES 2013 Programme- of the Goodwill Industries.
Not individual speakers, but comments from the entire League of heroes.
These heroes have special cognitive needs including Autism and learning delays. There are 21 in total.