I wasn't expecting much going in, but this group out of NW Ohio was pretty notorious at the time. As eluded to in the film, they had attempted to take public office during the "Tea Party" movement which at the time was regarded by many as a racist movement. Ironically, the "tea nuts" are now the "maga" movement with most of them not able to recognize the cult they have been sucked into.

This group was notorious because the face tattoo was very prominent, even on the most junior members. It was a way to isolate them from everyone else, and it definitely worked. It's harder and harder to step away from something when your face is literally tied to the horrors of what it really means.

It's pretty raw. It shows the recruiting strategies and it shows how quickly they can become entrenched. Jamie Bell is magnificent. The film wasn't filmed in the original area, as far as I can tell, because the area they were known for while wooded was pretty flat. That didn't take away though and the flashing between the story and the tattoo removal really just poetic art showing how hard it is for those that want to leave. It's a huge commitment to themselves and a lot of the time it takes a commitment to people who enter their lives.

The film highlights most importantly that there are people that will help them out when they are ready. but it's not an easy process. No film I've seen to date captures that better. 10/10

Overall, the film does leave it up to audience to decide how they feel about the whole story, although it definitely wants you to sympathise with Bryon and the change he goes through. ‘Skin’ is a film worth checking out to start a conversation about these issues and whether a racist can really be changed.
- Chris dos Santos

Read Chris' full article...
https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-skin-inside-the-mind-of-white-supremacists

Head to https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/sff for more Sydney Film Festival reviews.