Welcome to the Dollhouse

Welcome to the Dollhouse follows Dawn Wiener, an unglamorous eleven-year-old struggling through the brutal social hierarchy of suburban New Jersey middle school, where she is mocked, ignored, and tormented daily. Director Todd Solondz crafts a darkly comedic yet painfully honest portrait of adolescent alienation, capturing the cruelty of childhood with unflinching realism. Heather Matarazzo's raw, unsentimental performance became an instant cult touchstone for anyone who ever felt invisible.

• Todd Solondz shot the film for under one million dollars.
• Heather Matarazzo was only thirteen during filming.
• The film won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 1996.
• Dawn's clubhouse is called the 'Special People Club.'
• Todd Solondz based the story on his own childhood experiences.

• You're not special. You're not anything.
• Junior high is the most important time of your life.
• I'm going to rape you at 3 o'clock.
• Nobody likes you. Everybody hates you.
• I hate you! I hate you! I'll always hate you!