Jamojaya

In his fifth feature film, Justin Chon returns to another story about a family in a state of rupture. At the behest of his new U.S. record label, rising rap star James (played by real-life hip-hop artist Rich Brian) is leaving Indonesia to record his debut album in Hawaii. On his way out, James fires and leaves behind his father Joyo, who has been serving as his manager. After all, Joyo knows little about the music industry, doesn't know English, and James is ready to take control of his own career. When Joyo shows up in Hawaii unannounced, he resolutely inserts himself back into James' career, disrupting the already fragile relationships between James, the record label, and himself. Chon's culturally specific story roots itself in the contours of Indonesian family dynamics the son presses against in the pursuit of independence. If you are not already familiar with the elder actor Yayu A.W. Unru, his performance will make you want to see everything he's in and wish him a key role in everything to come. (Seattle International Film Festival)