Teenage anti-bullying advocate hopes documentary encourages people to speak out

In 2015, Lynelle Cantwell's measured, moving Facebook response to an online "ugliest girls" poll ranking her and other classmates at Torbay's Holy Trinity High was shared around the world and sparked discussions on bullying.

Now, Cantwell's experience is one of nine featured in a new documentary, Rising Above: Stories of Courage and Hope.

The film had its St. John's premiere on Monday with a screening at the Avalon Mall and a question-and-answer session for about 700 students.

It was so positive that I kind of want to cry a little bit.- Lynelle Cantwell

It was an emotional moment for Cantwell to finally see the film, which has been in the works since October.

"To finally be able to see this film — it's like I've been waiting for so long to see it, and the excitement has been building up and building up," Cantwell told CBC News on Monday.

"Finally being able to see it is incredible to me, and seeing the impact that it's actually making here … it's been all over Canada so far, so the impact everywhere else is amazing too. It's incredible to see it."

Cantwell said the reaction to the film has been positive — but she still had butterflies here in St. John's.

"I was a little bit nervous, because where it's in the hometown and everybody's heard the story, I thought rumours were starting and people would backlash a little bit," she said.

"But it was so positive that I kind of want to cry a little bit."

Documentary hears from bullies and victims

The documentary features stories not just from victims of bullying, but former bullies themselves.

I thought I was just going to speak out and in a week it would be forgotten about.- Lynelle Cantwell

Cantwell said it was important to show that bullies sometimes aren't fully aware of the effects they have on the people around them.

"You need to hear both sides," she said. "Every documentary that I've seen about bullying so far is only about the victim. It's the victims' stories, how the victim dealt with it, and this one's unique because it brings the bully into it."

Speaking up has a bigger impact than people realize, she said.

• Anti-cyberbullying advocate Lynelle Cantwell featured in new documentary
• 'Ugliest girls' poll: Student's response to cyberbullying goes viral

"When I spoke out, I didn't think it was going to go as big as it did. I thought I was just going to speak out and in a week it would be forgotten about," she said.

"But by speaking out it's changed so many different things about my life, and I'm hoping other people's lives."