Youth Group
Directed by Wanwan Lu
Synopsis
Set in the predominantly Asian “ethnoburbs” of Los Angeles County, this film follows a vibrant Buddhist youth group in a Chinese-American temple. Youth group members, most raised by immigrant Buddhist parents, attempt to define Buddhism on their own terms as they struggle to understand the rituals and beliefs of their parents’ Buddhism. Interweaving the stories of teenagers in the midst of their identity formation, and young adults faced with the challenge of cultivating the next generation of Buddhist youth leaders, “Youth Group” paints a lighthearted and intimate portrait of a generational gap, hyphenated identities and flexible beliefs in Asian America.
