Director and Executive Producer Scilla Andreen saw that bullying among friends, families and coworkers had evolved along with technology. So she decided to make the movie to explore the problem and offer practical strategies to combat it. But it wasn’t until she made the movie that she realized how ubiquitous the problem was.

“Online bullying is epidemic,” she said.

Andreen said cyberbullying follows students home from school in the form of social media posts and text messages. Even as many schools across the country are temporarily shuttered as a coronavirus precaution, cyberbullying can persist.

“The Upstanders” is not only for those who personally experience bullying, but also for kids and adults who witness bullying. The film discusses that the larger the number of bystanders to bullying, the less likely it is that an individual intervenes. The bystander has the power to make an incredible difference.

“The Upstanders” is the third film in a trilogy that began with the documentary “Like,” which was about the impact social media has on our lives.