Summering, releasing in August 2022, is a coming-of-age story that focuses on four girls, two of whom are Black, who hope to make the most of their last week of summer before starting middle school. Despite white characters still dominating the media mainstream, there exists an ever-increasing number of important bildungsroman movies centered on characters of color as they navigate that transition from youth to adolescence while being impacted by the positionality that comes with being of color.
Through these diverse perspectives and backgrounds, these characters portray multi-dimensional protagonists, often allowing audiences of color to build connections to characters they can relate to as well as other audiences to gain an empathetic understanding. These movies have received critical acclaim on the review site Rotten Tomatoes for their nuanced perspectives on what it means to grow up.
Real Women Have Curves (2002) - 85%
America Ferrera stars in Real Women Have Curves, alongside George Lopez as Ana Garcia, who deals with the internal conflict that comes with battling her family's expectations of her and her own expectations. When her teacher pushes her to apply for college instead of work like her parents, Ana must figure out for herself what being a woman means.
The film received acclaim for its empowering script that understood what it meant for women to feel comfortable in their own bodies as well as provide an accurate and nuanced look at Los Angeles through the eyes of a Mexican-American girl. Its compelling and accurate look at the pressures of immigrant families on young women marked it an important coming of age story in Latina cinema.
Boy (2010) - 88%
Considered one of Waititi's best-directed films, Boy follows 11-year-old Boy in New Zealand living on a farm with his goat when he is suddenly visited by his absent father, played by Waititi himself. Having idealized his father as a majestic hero, Boy must come to with his incompetent father after he returns seeking the money he dug up.
This coming-of-age story centering on Māori actor James Rolleston in his screen debut is highly praised for its humorous yet realistically poignant look at growing up and coming to with meeting one's heroes. Following the movie from Boy's point of view allows audiences to emphasize with its titular character and grow alongside him. Its warm cinematography and wondrous story-telling made it the top-grossing locally-made movie in New Zealand.
Pariah (2011) - 95%
Known for its pioneer cinematography, Pariah served as Dee Rees' directorial debut of a feature film and centers young Black Alike who grows into her identity as a lesbian and must come to with the reactions of the people around her. As she falls more in love with another girl, the relationship between her and her mother becomes strained.
Centering on a young Black lesbian, this coming-of-age story intentionally details the nuances that come with coming out and coming to with one's own identity portrayed by Adepero Oduye in a memorable performance. Dee Rees received praise for her work in the movie and she later became the first Black woman nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for Mudbound.
Plan B (2021) - 96%
In Nathalie Rosales' directorial debut, Plan B tells the story of best friends Sunny and Lupe who seek out a Plan B pill after Sunny loses her virginity. When their local pharmacist refuses to give them the pill, the two embark on a road trip to the nearest Planned Parenthood, several miles away, solidifying their strong friendship.
The buddy comedy portrays sheltered Indian Kuhoo Verma and rebellious Latina Victoria Moroles emphasizing the power of female friendship, especially between two women of color. The movie was praised for its script and for the chemistry between the actors, as well as its commentary on reproductive rights in the United States.
The Half Of It (2020) - 96%
In a loose retelling of the play Cyrano de Bergerac, Leah Lewis stars as shy Ellie Chu in The Half Of It who befriends footballer Paul Munsky and writes letters to his crush Aster Flores on his behalf. As she exchanges more letters, she also begins to see Aster as a crush and must deal with the pressure to stay with her father instead of going to college.
The movie features a representation of filial piety and bi-culturalism in Chinese-American culture through Ellie's attachment to her dad. The movie welcomes fans of queer coming-of-age narratives to showcase a comforting high school love story with performances by Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, and Alexxis Lemire.
Persepolis (2007) - 96%
Based on the successful autobiographical novel, the black-and-white animated Persepolis follows Marjane Satrapi as she grows up in the socio-political turmoil that takes place in 1970s Iran. Living through the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and the repercussions of the leadership afterward, Marjane figures out who she is and who she wants to become.
Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards and winning the Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival, the movie received praise for its poignant story-telling about the culture shock that came with growing up in the fast-changing landscape of Iran. Considered a landmark movie in youth-oriented Iranian media, the movie was also characterized by its intentional use of animation to tell its story.
Boyz N The Hood (1991) - 97%
John Singleton's Boyz n the Hood earned him the first Oscar nomination for a Black director and follows Tre Styles, played by Cuba Gooding Jr., who moves in with his dad and grows up dealing with the gang culture of South L.A. With stars like Ice Cube and Angela Bassett, the movie received praise for its portrayal of growing up in South Central neighborhoods.
While many coming-of-age stories took place in white suburbs, this movie looked at urban neighborhoods with a comionate and in-depth view of these characters and their lives. Singleton was inspired by the way he grew up and the people around him when writing for the movie. He wanted to make sure that the movie accurately represented the reality of growing up in these Black neighborhoods.
Hunt For The Wilderpeople (2016) - 97%
The second Taika Waititi entry on the list, Hunt for the Wilderpeople centers on young Ricky, Jurassic Park's Sam Neill, when they run from child welfare services in the New Zealand bush who attempt to take Ricky away from his foster family.
Dennison, of Māori descent, was praised for his performance as a young boy who is considered unruly and unmanageable by the system but is notably dealing with his own personal grief and growth. The film balances the gravity of the situation with its satirical humor. Its use of magical realism and juxtaposing the natural world and "organized" world make the movie a memorable bildungsroman piece of work for audiences to marvel at.
Moonlight (2016) - 98%
Considered by many to be one of the best movies of the last century and a Best Picture Oscar winner, Moonlight follows Chiron through three different stages in his life, played by Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevonte Rhodes, as he navigates coming to with his sexuality and his journey as he finds security in himself through the people that he meets.
A masterpiece in storytelling, it was praised for its acting, cinematography, and ability to unabashedly tell a story about the intersecting experiences of growing up Black and gay. With audiences praising its emotional depth and devastatingly honest look at growing into oneself make it one of the most highly reviewed coming-of-age movies of all time and an LGBTQ+ landmark in cinema.
A Brighter Summer Day (1991) - 100%
With a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, the four-hour movie directed by Edward Yang, A Brighter Summer Day centers on Xiao Si'r as he grows up in 1960s Taiwan. While his parents' generation struggle with the institutional landscape, Xiao Si'r grows up in this turbulent time dealing with friendships, first love, and the struggles that come up.
This deromanticized coming-of-age story acknowledges the reality of youth who struggle with identity and delve into the world of crime. Reflecting on a struggling time for Taiwan, this story forces audiences to reflect on the turmoil of growing up in a society that leaves youth disillusioned. Known for its masterwork in cinematography and story-telling, the movie is considered one of Yang's most notable achievements.
