At some point, everyone’s been bullied. Even Emmy-award winning director Lee Hirsch was bullied as a child– and he wants to show that people have a choice to be a bully or not. His new film illustrates that you can be the person watching the bully, or the person stopping it. Hirsch followed five children and their families during the 2009-2010 school year as they dealt with bullying and its aftermath.

The “Bully” project has already won more than 26 awards, including the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival, and the 2011 Screen Singapore.

This movie is really sad, but it’s really good. It’s thought provoking. I had always thought that once a child went home from school, the bullying stopped. But, when a parent asks their child about their day and keeps asking questions about the bullying going on at school– it’s a constant reminder for the kid. They can’t escape it. I’m sure the parents aren’t trying to be mean, they just don’t realize that they’re tormenting their children. And, that’s a different form of bullying.

Of the bullied kids in the film, one lands in jail, and two kill themselves.

Alex, 12, is currently living in Sioux City, Iowa. He is an adorable 7th grader with glasses, who is often called “Fish Face” because he has prominent lips. Alex is constantly bullied, but downplays it — when his parents find out that other children hit him, he tells his parents “they are only messing with me.” Clips show Alex’s head getting slammed into the back of the seat in front of him on the bus, and getting punched in the street walking home.

Once an all-star basketball and softball player, Kelby, currently living in Tuttle, Okla, was banned from both teams, after coming out as a lesbian. Her parents and a few friends supported her, but many did not. Kelby’s parents offered numerous times to move their family out of Tuttle, but she insisted they stay. Her goal is to change the minds of many of Tuttle’s citizens, who are primarily conservative. Good thing Kelby, 16, has a commited girlfriend and an understanding family to be her support system, because the children and parents in her town are rough. At one part during the documentary, a van full of boys that attend her high school try to run her over!

Ja’Meya, 14, is currently serving time in a juvenile detention center in Yazoo County, Miss. Every day she had an hour long bus ride in the mornings and afternoons. Fed up with all the bullying that occurred during those two hours, Ja’Meya stole her mother’s handgun. On September 1st, not even a week into the new school year, Ja’Meya brought the handgun, loaded, onto her bus. Her intent was to scare her tormentors, which she did, but she was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including 22 counts of kidnapping and aggravated assault. Her mother completely stands behind her and is truly her support system.

In May of 2010, Kirk and Laura Smalley’s son, Ty, committed suicide at just 11-years-old. Footage of Ty’s childhood in Oklahoma had many in tears. The Smalley’s started an anti-bullying organization called Stand for the Silent. It’s purpose is to prevent any further lives lost, as a result of bullying. In the less than two years that SFTS has been around, they have already met with President Obama and Lady Gaga.

Tyler, of Murray County, Ga, also committed suicide by hanging, when he was only 17-years-old. A group of his own peers, the next day at school, showed up with ropes around their necks in mocking. David and Tina Long are demanding accountability from their school system, in the form of a lawsuit against the county for $1.7 million in damages. They feel the school is mostly to blame for Tyler’s suicide, not his mental disabilities.

As a child, I was taught to love one another and treat everyone with the same kindness and respect you would want to be treated with. More parents, and teachers, and school administrators, and neighbors–the list could go on–need to stand up for children everywhere.

Originally, the MPAA gave this movie an “R” rating because of the use of many usages of the f-word. However, as of April 5, 2012, with the backing of many celebrities, such as Ellen DeGeneres and Justin Beiber, the “bully” project is now PG-13. All ages can now watch this documentary. No excuses. Go watch the “bully” project; my words can only tell you so much about these children’s lives.

Visit the website for more information because, “It’s time to take a stand.”