Bright Young Things
The term 'gifted' is reserved for those children in the top 5% of academic achievement but within that exclusive bracket is a large and varied number of truly remarkable children. This compelling, poignant and often heart-warming documentary tells the stories of some of Ireland's most gifted and exceptional children and their families. Featuring a wide variety of families, Bright Young Things: Growing Up Gifted in Ireland presents an honest and revealing insight into the lives of very special children as they cope with the highs and lows of being 'different'.
Every parent wants their child to do well at school but for the 23,000 Irish children classed as 'gifted', it can be a double-edged blessing. For those at the very top end of the scale - the children we feature - normal schooling sometimes isn't enough and specialist tuition must be sought to prevent them disengaging with school entirely. In some cases, children and their parents must also cope with 'dual exceptionality', whereby outstanding academic capabilities go hand in hand with a serious learning difficulty such as dyslexia or Asperger's Syndrome and parents must constantly walk a fine tightrope between realising their child's true potential and drawing attention to the fact that they are different to their friends and, in some cases, their siblings.
Many of the children featured in the documentary are frustrated by the school system and have turned to the Irish Centre for Talented Youth, part of Dublin City University. This is the only facility in the country which enables exceptionally intelligent children to fulfil their academic potential; for those lucky enough to be able to attend, it offers extra-curricular courses in everything from forensic science to novel-writing for children as young as six.
The documentary weaves the stories of children from very different backgrounds facing very different challenges: from prodigies from privileged backgrounds to boffins from struggling families, where growing up is tough enough as it is. Each child - and their family - is facing very different challenges and chapters in their lives as we film. In this way, we get to know the real people and remarkable stories behind a frequently misunderstood and intriguing phenomena - ordinary childhoods shaped by extraordinary talent.
Directed by Judy Kelly, this documentary is an engaging and insightful portrait of children who carry the burden or gift of exceptional intelligence.
