OBEY, OBEY

A Japanese proverb says that a nail that sticks out must be hammered down. OBEY, OBEY provides instructions on how not to stand out, how not to deviate from the norm, or more specifically: how a well-behaved student in a Japanese middle school should look. Using a variety of film techniques, Akira Kawasaki playfully presents real school rules that strictly control the appearance of girls. In her colourful, experimental video tutorial on 16 mm film, she reveals the mechanisms of social conformity.