Didi

Source: Sundance

‘Didi’

Focus Features has acquired worldwide rights to Sean Wang’s popular Sundance coming-of-age tale Didi, winner of the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award and the U.S. Dramatic special jury award for best ensemble cast.

Didi is set in California’s Bay Area in 2008 and follows a group of first-generation teens seen through the eyes of a 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy.

Izaac Wang (Good Boys, Disney’s Raya And The Last Dragon) stars alongside Joan Chen, Shirley Chen, and Chang Li Hua.

Carlos López Estrada, Josh Peters, Valerie Bush, and Wang served as producers on the Antigravity Academy and Spark Features production, with Chris Quintos Cathcart, Tyler Boehm, Robina Riccitiello, Joan Chen, Chris Columbus, Eleanor Columbus, Dave A. Liu and Jennifer J. Pritzker serving as executive producers.

The film marks the first release for Estrada’s Antigravity Academy production company and talent incubator for emerging filmmakers.

Last week Wang shared an Oscar nomination for his documentary short Nǎi Nai And Wài Pó, which will debut on Disney+ and Hulu on February 9.

Didi (弟弟) is the movie I’ve always wanted to see: a coming-of-age story set in a place I know, starring people who look like those I knew, during a time when we are the worst versions of ourselves having the best time of our lives,” said Wang.

Kiska Higgs, president of production and acquisitions at Focus Features, added: “Everyone at Focus saw a little of themselves in Dìdi, so we can’t wait to share Sean Wang’s brilliant vision of a Californian misfit with audiences everywhere, who will also fall in love with 13-year-old Wang-Wang as he stumbles his way into high school.”

The deal was negotiated by WME Independent and UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers.