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A boy running with a smile on his face.

SFFILM Festival

Opening Night: Dìdi (弟弟)

Directed by Sean Wang

USA | Fiction | 90

24 Apr
Wed, Apr 24 at 7:00 pm PT
24 Apr
Wed, Apr 24 at 8:00 pm PT
More tickets may become available during Daily Noon Ticket Releases; check this page for updates.

Guests Expected

Director Sean Wang, producer Josh Peters and Valerie Bush, plus additional cast members to be announced.

Description

Sean Wang‘s auspicious, semi-autobiographical feature debut centers on a universally recognizable phase of adolescence — that moment we begin the lifelong process of self-determination. Set in 2008 Fremont, this Sundance audience award winner follows 13-year-old Taiwanese American Chris (Izaac Wang) in the fleeting months prior to freshman year as he clumsily pursues his first crush, nurtures his passions for filming and skating, and experiments with the dawning intensity of online relationships via AIM chat and MySpace. At home, Chris’s college-bound sister Vivian (Shirley Chen) and weary mother Chunsing (an illuminating Joan Chen) annoy him, while his acerbic grandma Nai Nai (Chang Li Hua, the director’s real-life grandmother) frets over his diet. All three women draw his ire as Chris stumbles through a series of hilarious coming-of-age situations. Nuanced and tender, Wang‘s film is a layered exploration of learning to love oneself against the Darwinian backdrop of teenage cliques, cultural conformity, and the maddening frustrations of growing up.

Opening Night Film + Party

Join us for our Opening Night Film + Party as we kick off the 67th San Francisco International Film Festival with Dìdi (弟弟) from SFFILM-supported filmmaker Sean Wang. Tickets to the 7 pm PT screening at the Premier Theater include admission to both the film and 9 pm Party at 308 Gallery. Tickets to the 8 pm PT screening at the Marina Theatre, which do not include admission to the Opening Night Party, are also available.

Recommended for ages 14 and up.

Director Sean Wang

Among Fremont native Sean Wang‘s films is his latest short Nai Nai and Wài Pó (Festival 2023), which was nominated for a Best Documentary Short Film Academy Award®. His debut feature, Dìdi, won the Sundance Film Festival’s US Dramatic audience award and a US Special Jury Award for its ensemble. It is the recipient of support from SFFILM Rainin Grant, SFFILM Invest, and SFFILM Dolby Institute Fellowship.

Film Details

Language English, Mandarin

Original Language Title Dìdi (弟弟)

Year 2023

Premiere California

Runtime 90

Country USA

Director Sean Wang

Executive Producer Vertel Scott, Thomas Whitmore, Chris Quintos, Tyler Boehm, Robina Riccitiello, Joan Chen, Chris Columbus, Eleanor Columbus, Dave A. Liu, Jennifer J. Pritzker, Lisa Chanoff, Sakurako Fisher

Producer Carlos López Estrada, Josh Peters, Valerie Bush, Sean Wang

Writer Sean Wang

Editor Arielle Zakowski

Cinematographer Sam Davis

Music Giosuè Greco

Cast Izaac Wang, Shirley Chen, Chang Li Hua, Joan Chen

Closed Captions Closed Captions are confirmed for this program

Audio Description Audio Descriptions are confirmed for this program

American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation American Sign Language Interpretation is not currently scheduled for this film