The Film
A portrait of a counter-culture built by outsiders, sustained by community, and shaped in opposition to the mainstream.
Origins and Influence
It’s Not Easy Being Strange examines the musical and cultural foundations of the goth scene, tracing its development from early influences to its long-term survival as a living counter-culture.
The film follows goth from its formative moments through decades of evolution, highlighting the ideas, aesthetics, and sounds that shaped its identity.
Community
Grounded in a grassroots approach, the documentary centres the voices of those within the scene, foregrounding lived experience over external interpretation.
By focusing on people rather than stereotypes, the film explores how goth has endured as a culture created by outsiders and sustained through shared values and mutual support.
Endurance
Through key cultural touchstones, the film considers how goth has survived while being ignored or ridiculed by the mainstream.
It also examines why the culture is now seeing renewed interest, and what that resurgence reveals about identity, belonging, and resistance.
Belonging
Beyond the music, the documentary explores how a strong sense of community has given generations of goths a lasting sense of belonging, connection, and creative freedom.
