Inclusive Representation on Screen

Sean Wang’s Coming-of-Age Film

Early Mornings and Skateboarding

Sean Wang is jet-lagged. He has been up since 4am after arriving in London late the night before. When he couldn’t get back to sleep, the film-maker headed to the Southbank Centre. Surrounded by the deserted streets of the city, it was just him and his skateboard as he tried out tricks. He has been obsessed with skateboarding since his early teens. "Everything that I love now, whether it’s the music I listen to or the way I dress, it all traces back to skating."

The Inspiration Behind Dìdi

Wang, 30, has channelled this passion into his debut feature film, Dìdi (弟弟), which means "little brother" in Chinese. The semi-autobiographical tale of Chris (Izaac Wang), an awkward and angst-ridden 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy who starts shooting skating videos one summer, is a tender and astute coming-of-age movie packed with moments of cringe-inducing humour. Chris is growing apart from his childhood friends while dealing with a new crush and trying to impress a group of older, cooler skater kids. Then there is the family drama at home; things are tense between his mother (Joan Chen) and grandmother (Wang’s own grandmother, Chang Li Hua), he is bickering non-stop with his older sister (Shirley Chen) and his dad is away working in Taiwan.

The Film and its Influences

Dìdi lovingly recreates the late 00s, especially the rudimentary social media of the times, with scenes showing tentative AIM chats, the fraught significance of Myspace’s top friends, and YouTube clips of silly pranks. It captures the growing pains of the teenage years with warmth and sensitivity; as Chris steps out of the comfort zone of childhood, he is stuck between the innocence of youth and the desire to experiment. Despite his faked confidence, he is a bundle of insecurities. Filming skateboard tricks is an escape, a way to be treated like a peer by boys older than him.

Casting and Representation

Casting Chen, star of The Last Emperor, Twin Peaks and, more recently, Disney+’s A Murder at the End of the World, was a major coup. The 63-year-old Chinese American actor is a revelation in the role of Chungsing, a woman who has sacrificed her own ambitions to raise a family but still dreams of being a painter. (Wang’s mother, he says, made all of the paintings in the film.) Chen gives an astonishing performance that is achingly gentle as a weary mother watching her artistic hopes slowly fade away.

Oscar Nomination and Inspiration

There are not many directors who have already garnered Oscar nominations before their first feature films have been released, but Wang achieved that accolade earlier this year when his short film, Nai Nai & Wài Pó, was up for best documentary short film. The idea for the short came about after Wang created a Christmas video card with his two grandmothers, Yi Yan Fuei (Nai Nai, Mandarin for paternal grandmother) and Chang (Wài Pó, his maternal grandmother), in 2018. The clip shows the pair trying to feed him blueberries: when he refuses to eat them, they tie him up and spank him. It is hilarious and goofy and makes you think dinners at their house must be a riot.

Shame and Belonging

Wang wanted to create a film about shame, a corrosive feeling that crept into his life when he was made painfully aware of the stereotypes others placed on him due to his race. He recalls the times when he was growing up when he was told he was "cute for an Asian" – a line that makes it into the film – or: "You’re the coolest Asian I know." "I didn’t realise how those things affected me and how I looked at the world and myself until I was in my 20s," Wang says.

Conclusion

Dìdi is a film that showcases Wang’s passion for storytelling and his commitment to representation. By exploring the universal themes of loneliness, shame, joy, and belonging, the film offers a relatable and authentic portrayal of adolescence. As Wang says, "Those feelings are universal, no matter what culture you come from."

FAQs

• What is Dìdi about?
  Dìdi is a coming-of-age film about a 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy who starts shooting skating videos one summer.
• What inspired Sean Wang to make the film?
  Wang was inspired by his own experiences growing up and the stereotypes he faced due to his race.
• What themes does the film explore?
  The film explores themes of loneliness, shame, joy, and belonging.
• What is the significance of the skateboarding scenes?
  The skateboarding scenes serve as an escape for the protagonist and allow him to be treated like a peer by boys older than him.
• What is the film’s release date in the UK?
  Dìdi is released in the UK on 2 August.