Coming of age tales are not always neatly packaged for teens and college-age graduates stuck between their childhood fantasies and the harsh realities of adulthood. For many Millennials, graduating college didn’t mean going off and immediately starting the journey towards the dream job, it meant moving back in with their parents and taking the first part-time job offered to get by. In DEFINITION PLEASE, Monica (played by writer and director Sujata Day) is living at home with her mother, tutoring children around her old neighborhood for the Scribbs National Spelling Bee, until one day she is disrupted by a surprise visit from her brother. Day’s directorial debut aptly tackles the Millennial malaise, while also delicately building a genuine family drama that emphasizes the importance of understanding. — Jenny Nulf, Programs Director
*Single-film ticket purchases begin June 4. Virtual film screenings are only available for Texas viewers.
DIRECTOR/WRITER: Sujata Day (actor, Insecure)
PRODUCERS: Sujata Day, Cameron Fife, Datari Turner
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Rey Cuerdo, Hiren C. Surti, Ahmad Cory, Jubran Dan, Evans III, Lamont Magee
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Brooks Ludwick
EDITORS: Niles Howard and Emilie Aubrey
MUSIC: Amanda Jones
CAST: Sujata Day (Insecure), Ritesh Rajan (Russian Doll), Anna Khaja (The Boys, The Good Place, Silicon Valley), Jake Choi (The Sun is Also a Star), Lalaine (Lizzie McGuire, Easy A), Pravesh Cheena (Outsourced, The High Note)
LENGTH: 91 min
LANGUAGES: English
COUNTRY: U.S.
GENRE: Family Drama
ACCOLADES / FESTIVALS
2020 CAAMFest Forward | Best Narrative Feature
2020 South Asian Film Festival of America | Outstanding Directorial Debut Feature FIlm
2020 Centre Film Festival | Best “Made in PA” Feature
2020 Bentonville Film Festival | Closing Night Film
2020 Naples International Film Festival
2020 San Diego Asian Film Festival
2020 Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival
2020 Philadelphia Film Festival
2020 New York Asian American International Film Festival
2020 Boston Asian American Film Festival
2020 Twin Cities Film Festival
2020 Hawaii International Film Festival
2021 Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival
2021 Seattle Asian American Film Festival
Earth to Films | Best Films of 2020