Programmers' Picks: SuJ'n Chon

Dìdi (弟弟) and Girls Will Be Girls

Two excellent but very different coming-of-age films—one based in Fremont, California; the other in northern India. Both made me wish my mother was still alive so I could tell her, “I see you, Mom.”

City of Wind

There is great cinema coming out of Mongolia these days, including this strong directorial debut about a young shaman who falls in love and begins to question his calling.

Black Box Diaries

In her directorial debut, journalist Shiori Ito turns the camera on herself as she documents her years-long journey to bring her politically connected rapist to justice. Powerful and inspiring!

We Strangers

A cheeky dramedy about a young Black housekeeper who may or may not be able to talk to the dead loved ones of her wealthy white clients.

The Missing and The Mother of All Lies

One is a sci-fi-action-queer love story. The other is a documentary centered on a family from Casablanca. Both clever use artistic forms—rotoscope/2D animation and dioramas—as doorways to confront painful secrets from the past.

Mountains

An intimately told tale about a Haitian immigrant family living at the intersection of the “American Dream” and the real story. I’d also watch Junior’s hour-long stand-up special, as played by comedian Chris Renois.

Wings of Desire

I last saw this on VHS 30ish years ago in my video store clerk days. I cannot wait to see this 4K restoration.

Admissions Granted

Less than a year has passed since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned affirmative action in college admissions. This timely doc explores how the campaign used sympathy for anti-Asian prejudice to support a continued assault on race-conscious policies and programs.