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Dìdi

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Dìdi
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySean Wang
Written bySean Wang
Produced by
  • Sean Wang
  • Josh Peters
  • Carlos López Estrada
  • Valerie Bush
Starring
CinematographySam A. Davis
Edited byArielle Zakowski
Music byGiosue Greco
Production
companies
Distributed byFocus Features
Release dates
  • January 19, 2024 (2024-01-19) (Sundance)
  • July 26, 2024 (2024-07-26) (United States)
Running time
91 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • English
  • Mandarin
Box office$4.2 million[2]

Dìdi (Chinese: 弟弟; lit. 'Younger Brother') is a 2024 American coming-of-age comedy drama film, written, directed, and produced by Sean Wang in his directorial debut. The film stars Izaac Wang and Joan Chen. Carlos López Estrada, Josh Peters and Chris Columbus serve as producers and executive producers under their AntiGravity Academy, Spark Features and Maiden Voyage Pictures banners, respectively.

Dìdi had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2024, where it won the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic and U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award: Ensemble.[3] It was released in the United States by Focus Features on July 26, 2024.

Plot

In the summer of 2008, 13-year-old Chris Wang lives in Fremont, California with his mother Chungsing, Chungsing's demanding mother-in-law Nai Nai, and his older sister Vivian. Chris's father supports the family from Taiwan. Chris constantly bickers with Vivian, who is soon heading off to UC San Diego. He makes silly YouTube videos with best friends Fahad and Soup.

Chris becomes acquainted with his crush, Madi, and they begin a correspondence on AIM and [[Facebook]. When they go on a date, she tells Chris he is good-looking "for an Asian" and initiates a flirting game, which ends when he admits he is nervous. He leaves the date embarrassed and blocks her on AIM. During a group hangout with Fahad, Chris commits a series of social faux pas by describing how he and his friends played with a dead squirrel, driving a wedge in their friendship.

Chungsing and Nai Nai have an intense dispute regarding Nai Nai criticizing Chungsing's parenting and her husband's absence. Chungsing and Chris have dinner with one of her peers and her academically successful son, Max. Chris's behavior and feelings of inadequacy begin to strain his relationships. Chris is brought on as a filmmaker by a trio of older skateboarders. They take him to a party where he tries alcohol and marijuana; when he gets sick, Vivian covers for him. Before Vivian leaves for college, the siblings reconcile. The skateboarders visit Chris's home and find his footage unusable. Chris berates Chungsing in front of them, causing the group to leave in disapproval.

Max and his friend Josh approach Chris. Josh mocks Chris for his failed date with Madi, and Chris punches him. Chungsing and Chris have a heated argument which culminates in him running away for a night. Chris returns home and Chungsing recounts the story of how Vivian run away from home when she was 14. Chungsing describes to Chris her dream life as a successful painter. However, she states that her children are her true dream.

On the first day of high school, Chris attempts to reconcile with Madi, but is unsuccessful. He greets Fahad and Soup and joins a club for visual arts. Chungsing picks up Chris from school and he tells her about his day.

Cast

  • Izaac Wang as Chris Wang
  • Shirley Chen as Vivian Wang
  • Chang Li Hua as Nai Nai
  • Joan Chen as Chungsing Wang
  • Raul Dial as Fahad Mahmood
  • Aaron Chang as Jimmy "Soup" Kim
  • Mahaela Park as Madi
  • Chiron Denk as Donovan
  • Sunil Maurillo as Cory
  • Montay Boseman as Nugget
  • Georgie August as Georgia
  • Jayden Chiang as Max
  • Spike Jonze as Dead Squirrel
  • Stephanie Hsu as Kissing Tutorial Instructor
  • Alaysia Simmons as Ellie

Production

Principal photography took place in July 2023 in Fremont, California.[4] The film consists mostly of first-time actors from the Bay Area.[5] The film was previously selected for the 2023 Sundance Institute Screenwriting & Directors Lab and the 2022 SFFILM Rainin Grant.[6][7]

Release

Dìdi had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2024.[8] A few days later, Focus Features acquired distribution rights to the film.[9] It also screened at South by Southwest on March 12, 2024,[10][11] and had its international premiere at the Beijing International Film Festival on April 19, 2024.[12][13] It closed the 11th edition of Sundance London on June 9, 2024.[14] It had a limited theatrical release in the United States on July 26, 2024.[15] It was released in all theaters on August 16, 2024.

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 97% of 93 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "A semi-autobiographical love letter to teenage angst that's also slyly self-critical, Dìdi is a deeply moving personal statement by writer-director Sean Wang."[16] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 79 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[17]

In her review for The Guardian, Adrian Horton described Dìdi as "easily one of the best, most seamless films [she's] seen on the experience of growing up online" and declared that it has a "clear antecedent" in Eighth Grade (2018).[18]

References

  1. ^ "Dìdi". Sundance Film Festival. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  2. ^ "Dìdi". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  3. ^ Buchanan, Kyle (January 26, 2024). "'In the Summers,' a Father-Daughters Tale, Wins the Top Prize at Sundance". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  4. ^ Lavalee, Eric (July 19, 2023). "Fremont Flirt: Sean Wang Begins Production on Sundance-Labbed "Dìdi"". ION Cinema. Archived from the original on January 13, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  5. ^ Spicer, Lucy (January 8, 2024). "Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Sean Wang, the Writer-Director of "Dìdi (弟弟)"". Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  6. ^ "Meet the 2022 SFFILM Rainin Grant Winners". SFFILM. August 22, 2022. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  7. ^ "Meet the Sundance Institute 2023 Directors, Screenwriters, and Native Lab Fellows". Sundance Film Festival. April 27, 2023. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  8. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (December 6, 2023). "Sundance Unveils Packed 2024 Lineup That Includes A.I., Pedro Pascal, Kristen Stewart, Satan, Devo & Steven Yeun". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  9. ^ Lang, Brent; Rubin, Rebecca (January 31, 2024). "Focus Features Buys Sundance Coming-of-Age Movie 'Didi'". Variety. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  10. ^ "Didi". South by Southwest. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  11. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 7, 2024). "SXSW 2024 Second Wave Includes Pics With Sydney Sweeney, Nicolas Cage, Camila Mendes & 'Monkey Man'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  12. ^ "准备好了吗？北京展映排片表来了，内含重大福利！" [Are you ready? The Beijing screening schedule is here, with great benefits!]. Beijing International Film Festival (in Chinese). Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  13. ^ "错过就不再！这届电影节最珍稀的放映，居然还有票？！" [Don't miss it! The rarest screening of this year's film festival, there are still tickets available? !]. Beijing International Film Festival (in Chinese). Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  14. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (April 4, 2024). "'Kneecap,' 'Dìdi' to Bookend Sundance London". Variety. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  15. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 14, 2024). "Focus Features Sets Summer Release For Sundance Award Winner 'Didi'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  16. ^ "Dìdi". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  17. ^ "Dìdi". Metacritic. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  18. ^ Horton, Adrian (January 26, 2024). "Dìdi review – a tender, specific rendering of adolescence on the early internet". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
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