Although we are now living in an age where tattoos are becoming more acceptable in society, statistics suggest that almost 1 in 5 regret getting inked, whilst 1 in 10 have a tattoo removed. Taking a look at one of the first generations to get ink, Angie Bird’s doc You Wont Regret That Tattoo aims to challenge the opinion that a tattoo is something you’ll grow to regret by exploring the inspiration of an older generation’s body art.

“I’m at the age now where I just don’t care, I’ve never really cared what other people think, but now I really don’t care”

I remember my first exposure to tattoos being those on my Grandad’s forearms – being a Navy man he had the obligatory anchor and swallow designs just above his meaty hands (he was a real-life Popeye!) and despite my Mum constantly reminding me how much he regretted them, my young, impressionable mind thought they were incredible.  Now, over 30-years later, as I hurtle ever closer to my 40th Birthday, my decision to never expand on my one tattoo is something that often plays on my mind. The majority of my parents generation seemed obsessed on constantly reminding us why permanently marking your body was a bad idea (my Mum kicked me out for a short time after I got mine), but Bird’s doc wants to prove this isn’t always the case. Featuring a series of frank and moving revelations from interviewees who explain the personal connections to their body art, You Won’t Regret That Tattoo is a surprisingly emotive piece full of tales of heartache, loss and identity. With a real human angle at its core, it feels as if there’s something in Bird’s film for everyone/anyone to connect with and its 13-minute run-time ends up flying by in no time at all.

Screened at the AFI Docs, Hot Docs and Raindance film festivals, You Won’t Regret That Tattoo isn’t a film that’s going to blow-you-away with its inventive production and unique approach. Although, well shot, the delivery method relies on pretty standard talking head interviews to tell its tale, but it’s the simplicity in the production that puts the focus on its interviewees and this is where Bird’s film really excels.

Part of Toronto’s Skin + Bones film production company – you can find out more about Bird and the rest of the collective’s work on their website or Facebook page