Thanks for your reflection on 2nd vs 1st generation anxieties. It made me wonder whether children of immigrants share a kind of unique imposter syndrome. That feeling that 'its not going to work out' is at once reinforced by parents reminding us that what we want isn't quite right (its not their priorities of assimilation & survival) and also by those voices we heard as kids reminding us that we fundamentally don't fit into white culture ("you're cute for an ___").
44
This is wonderful to watch! Thanks for sharing it. I wish, wish, wish that I had done more of this kind of introspection and reaching out when I was your age. Best to you.
P.S. Don't fear falling behind. No one knows how much time they have left. It's all life.
70
Great film. Most depictions of 20-somethings portray them as young but basically fully developed adults, eyes set on the future, the past long gone. But it's in their 20s when many people finally start to part ways with their childhood. Grandparents die, your parents move out of the house you grew up in, former high school teachers retire, ex girlfriends get married. And that carefree feeling that you used to feel never really returns--not without a price, anyway. Sometime in your 20s you learn that whenever you have that feeling, watch out, because something bad is sneaking up on you.
74
Thanks Sean! I am also a child of Taiwanese immigrants, now in my 40s. Among my middle school cohort (similar backgrounds), most of us have professional degrees and are considered successful by our parents. However, there were long stretches in our 20s when we had doubts as to whether everything would turn out well enough to be worth their sacrifice. Hang in there and keep chasing your dreams!
61
Very cool and well done. Life is a series of moments and eras. You creatively captured that time and the nostalgia that it evokes. Keep it up!
39
I would like to see a story, in a newspaper which prides itself on it supposed erudition about the world, about what school children in other countries experience at school, not merely academically but also socially.
20
Very sweet.... thank you
17
I’m in my mid 50’s and I loved your short film.
31
Wow, I loved watching this! I just turned 30 this month and still have many of your same feelings about adulthood. Great film, so excited for you to make more!
15
Sean Wang, filmmaker under 30 to watch!--turning a set of mundane calls to old friends into an existential deep dive. And Sean, I'm turning 60 next week and still have every one of the questions, stated and unstated, that are expressed in your film... no answers!
70
so good! I went in jaded about a 26-year-old reflecting on life, but this was smart and touching, well done.
23
As a middle school yearbook teacher, I absolutely loved this. So funny, creative and poignant. I wish I could share with my students!
26
So glad I took time to watch this. Thanks for your art, Sean. (I also thought riding the school bus was a wild thing -- bus drivers deserve a lot of praise!)
17
Yes, you will look back on your 20-something selves in your 40s and think that. So my unsolicited advice is to enjoy life in the moment because it will pass you by in a hot minute.
Nice piece, Sean. Looking forward to enjoying more of your work.
42
This film was so sweet and touching!!
13
What a clever, creative phone call/film!!! I never thought of yearbooks as "time capsules" but you demonstrated how powerful they can be. It has been said that our lives are written the dash between the year of our birth and the year of our death. Thanks for giving us a brief and innovative view of your "dash".
27
I'm 72 years old and I loved watching your film. Keep following your passion -- you're doing great work, and I wish you much success.
79
I had a smile on my face the through the whole piece. Thank you and keep going, your work is powerful.
21
This was a wonderful film. I hope you can make your own version of the "Up" films and revisit your classmates at, say, 35 and 50. You have a bright future ahead, Sean!
35
I loved those years. It was so awkward, yet exciting, always filled with some kind of (good and bad) drama. Now just hitting 50, I really treasure those times. I sometimes wish I could hop on my bike and ride over to my friend's house and watch MTV for hours and talk about boys like we used to. Life is definitely not as exciting as it was back then. Not bad, just different. Thanks for a great video!
80
I really enjoyed watching your film. Who doesn't like to look back and talk to your adolescent friends about a different time in your life? Wait till you get even older than the 40 you spoke of in the film. High school reunions take on a new poignancy, especially when you discover who amongst you has not lived to see that day. Thanks again for your film.
90
This was great! Thank you for sharing!
As someone on the cusp of 50 (what?! how did that happen?!), I can tell you that you will look back on your 20s with a mix of nostalgia and embarrassment, and not see an adult.
My advice: take care of your body and your teeth, start putting money in your 401(k) now, do fun crazy hair styles while you're young enough to get away with it (and still have a full head of hair), travel before you get married and have kids, and learn some other languages while your brain is still plastic enough. Enjoy yourself and don't stress about everything (most problems are solvable or will solve themselves without your tears).
204
@Bryan lets be honest Bryan, its going to me mostly embarrassment when you look back at your teens and 20s :)
But, nice try making us all feel a bit better about it!
8
@Bryan
Great suggestions, Bryan.
I would add: if you decide you want to be in a long-term relationship, with or without children, choose well... because that other person can make your life more lovely, or make your life hell.
Choose (and be!) kind and honest; warm and loving; funny, and passionate about something that benefits others. Be (and choose!) a reliable person who is easy to love, and with whom it is a pleasure to live.
43
@Bryan Well, when I look back on my 20s, I do see an adult - just not the same kind of adult I am now. Honestly, I miss the person i was then -- so brave! But, yes, do your 20's well - and yes to the 401 (which I wish I had done) - and yes to adventure and yes to keeping those friends from then because decades from now, they are the ones who can sing you back home when need be.
18
What a unique documentary your team has created. So much fun to watch and instructive esp for an old boomer like me who is still learning modern jargon. Superb graphics. I’ll let you know when I have invented the next Tesla so you can make me a commercial!
10
Most of this delightful short is universal... not only pertinent to children of immigrants. Who really fits in in the USA, particularly at age 13? I remember that as being the most difficult year... everyone was so friendly in elementary school, and again after puberty, but 13 was just the most turbulent.
59
So well done! A little bittersweet but that can be yummy.
8
I didn’t expect to be so moved by this short film. Just seeing “H.A.G.S!” written in a yearbook takes me back! Thank you Sean - and everyone else in the film - for the honesty and candor, and for sharing your experiences with us.
24
Love this! Thanks.
4
Could not be improved upon. Immaculate execution.
8
Like, OMG! Are these people like, totally adults?
OMG!
6
I loved this so much. I just reconnected with my grade school/junior high bestie after 40 years. and it is...sweet! Maybe it takes a break to be able to reflect with such honesty and clarity, kindness and humility.
Thank you Sean!
16
Loved this reflection on your life through the conversations with your middle school friends. Thanks for sharing.
8
I love this. I got pulled into something unexpectedly profound. Thanks Sean!
27
This is very funny at the start, then midway through becomes unexpectedly moving. Terrific.
31
This was so wonderful. Fantastic job!!!!!
7
Thank you Sean!
2
Just wonderful.
3
This was so good. I really enjoyed.
5
Loved this.
3
I’ve been struggling lately with approaching 60. I keep thinking I wish I’d savored my younger years more. The problem is that I did - they just went by regardless.
Then I see 80 year olds and remember that I’ve still got my health and some youth left and I need to savor now.
To say it in a poster-worthy way, today really is the first day of the rest of my life.
Ridiculous but true.
132
This was really lovely, Sean. At 41 I can still relate.
32
I loved this - Terrific short video timeline interview.
4
Very touching, incredible job, at 33 this still resonates so strongly.
12
That was sweet. I'm 58 now, but one of my 8th grade classmates recently tried to get a Facebook group together of our graduating class. Of the 10 people he found, only 4 agreed. So it's sits there and I guess maybe at some point no one wants to look back or they don't want to talk about things back then or perhaps there was strain between people we didn't know about. I'm glad you were able to connect. Try to stay in contact because it's really easy to lose those friendships in middle age. And remember: the older you get, the faster time flies by. I wish someone had told me that.
49
I'm in my 70s and a Sansei, and I found your project from idea to execution very well done. I wish I had paused more often in my life to reflect on where I've been, who I am, and what I've accomplished. There'll be happy times, sad times, and all the experiences in between. To all you younger folks, enjoy the journey.
50
Thank you Sean. Really loved this. Made me laugh AND cry. Can't wait to see your future films!
14