IMDb's Cheat Sheet for the 2024 Seattle International Film Festival5 of 8
Dìdi
Coming-of-age stories are a film fest staple, but this early-2000s time capsule from first-time feature director Sean Wang is a standout. Inspired by his own upbringing in Fremont, California, Dìdi (meaning "little brother" in Mandarin) spotlights a winning ensemble of mostly unknown actors — kids discovered via street casting and in skate parks — whose youthful energy lights up the screen and hits home the pressures of teenage conformity in the MySpace era. Amidst the nostalgic 2000s references to Tech Decks, flip phones, and chats with beloved AIM bot SmarterChild, there's a palpable awareness of how Wang’s cultural identity as a Taiwanese American is tied to his sense of self. Wang emerged from Sundance on an upwards trajectory with an Oscar nomination for his documentary short (Nai Nai & Wài Pó), plus a handful of jury awards for Dìdi (including the U.S. dramatic audience award) and the news that Focus Features purchased the film, a funny and heartfelt love letter to his younger self.
Coming-of-age stories are a film fest staple, but this early-2000s time capsule from first-time feature director Sean Wang is a standout. Inspired by his own upbringing in Fremont, California, Dìdi (meaning "little brother" in Mandarin) spotlights a winning ensemble of mostly unknown actors — kids discovered via street casting and in skate parks — whose youthful energy lights up the screen and hits home the pressures of teenage conformity in the MySpace era. Amidst the nostalgic 2000s references to Tech Decks, flip phones, and chats with beloved AIM bot SmarterChild, there's a palpable awareness of how Wang’s cultural identity as a Taiwanese American is tied to his sense of self. Wang emerged from Sundance on an upwards trajectory with an Oscar nomination for his documentary short (Nai Nai & Wài Pó), plus a handful of jury awards for Dìdi (including the U.S. dramatic audience award) and the news that Focus Features purchased the film, a funny and heartfelt love letter to his younger self.
PeopleIzaac Wang
TitlesDìdi