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Growing Up

Filmmakers: Brie Larson; Elegance Bratton; Sydney Freeland; Ekwa Msangi; Smriti Mundhra; Kishori Rajan; Bernardo Ruiz; Yara Shahidi; Rudy Valdez

AFS Envoys: Carri Twigg (Executive Producer); Smriti Mundhra (Director); Raeshem Nihjon (Executive Producer)

Created by Brie Larson and Culture House, “Growing Up” is an innovative hybrid docu-series that explores the challenges, triumphs, and complexities of adolescence through ten compelling coming of age stories. The series uses narrative, experimental, and documentary filmmaking to follow one casted individual, ages 18-22, as they tell their story. They represent a wide range of lived experiences, giving audiences emotionally powerful narratives that offer an engaging look at teenage-hood and the diverse social, familial, and internal obstacles young people face on their path to self-discovery and acceptance. Each 30-minute episode features one young person, or “hero,” and their experience growing up. Each episode is anchored by a deeply personal interview that allows our heroes to walk us through their childhood and teenage years. Alongside these interviews, creative cinematic reenactments help bring their major inflection points to life.

Ep 1 – Vanessa

Vanessa finds community amongst other confident Black women and is inspired to study psychology.

Ep 2- Clare and Isabel

Clare and Isabel’s story is about their friendship and passion for giving back to their community.

Ep 3 – Amiri

Amiri is a Black man on a journey to find the courage to be loved for who he is.

Ep 4 – Emily

Emily’s story looks at her experience building a platform for creatives in the disability community.

Ep 5 – Sage

Sage is a 20-year-old Afro-Latina artist and organizer finding her identity.

Ep 6 – David

David is a young man from California who stepped out of his comfort zone by discovering poetry.

Ep 7 – Sofia

Sofia’s story outlines her barrier breaking journey in STEM as a Black woman coder.

Ep 8 – Alex

Alex’s story dives into her experience dealing with depression in her middle and high scool years.

Ep 9 – Athena

Athena is a young South Asian woman on a journey with her body image.

Ep 10 – Gavin

Gavin overcomes the hardships of homelessness to earn a full scholarship to study nursing.