Skin Like Bark

Overview

Director Statement Skin Like Bark explores how traditional perceptions of masculinity are imprinted on young men and how other instances of manhood can be marginalised as a result. Being a young creative growing up in regional Australia, I often felt that my understanding of masculinity was atypical. While my body was physically masculine, my personality was essentially the opposite: sensible, vulnerable, and empathetic. I felt so distant to my clique in high school. ‘The Lads’ worked out, picked up girls, and did whatever they wanted; I didn’t. Skin Like Bark serves as a didactic exploration of such an identity conflict, and also as a personal reflection on the volatile state of hegemonic masculinity.