Content Note: This article contains discussion of cyber-bullying, bullying, sexual abuse.
“Smile,” a man says to us. “Smile,” he says again, with heartfelt earnestness. A sentimental piano score accompanies these words, and in the solemn times we currently live in, the purity of this segment packs a punch, like medicine for the soul. The man switches the front-facing camera to the rear, and we see a girl, Aless (Alessia Capparelli), sitting alone. She responds impassively: “What should I say?” “The truth,” the man replies.
These shots open Miro Drobný’s 2019 anthology film
Who’s Next? (Kto je ďalší?), which shines a light on the dangers associated with our modern use of the internet. Drobný splits the film into three short sections, each dealing with a separate theme, the first being cyber-bullying.