'Bully' director comes to Tulsa

Before a screening of the film, Hirsch sat down with FOX23’s Adam Paluka to discuss his impressions of Tulsa’s handling of bullying in schools.

“I see Tulsa as a city that's really looking to do better,” Hirsch said, “It starts with saying the issue is important.”

In Tulsa, there are community members saying those words. A local anti-bullying coalition is up and running, but members of that coalition say Hirsch’s presence is an important initial step to get more people involved in the conversation.

“His attraction, his voice is very important to get the dialogue in Tulsa and surrounding community going,” Steve Hahn with Parent and Child Center in Tulsa said.

Hirsch, in partnership with several community groups, is trying to make it possible for every middle and high school student to see the film with peers when classes start back up in August. 

“Tulsa has a lot of really committed individuals working within the schools outside of the schools to make a real difference. People walk out of the film and they say you know what this is not ok and we can make a difference.”

The stories in the film are authentic, and the students featured in the movie are real. The film follows several Oklahoma students including the suicide of eleven year old Ty Smalley.

“It's amazing to watch the students as they're watching the movie because they identify with this film, they see these things everyday,” Hahn said.

That's why Hirsch wants every student to watch the movie and learn from it. He says Tulsa could be a model for the entire nation.

“When you have a whole district, when you have a whole city that says, ‘We're going to do something.’ It means that it's a priority.”