Growing and maturing get a twist in the animated feature Turning Red.<\/p>\n
Meilin (the voice of Rosalie Chiang) is a very bright and dutiful 13-year-old. She diligently follows her overprotective – and, at times, overbearing – mother\u2019s lead and always does the right thing by her. But one night the totally unexpected happens. Meilin turns into a large red panda and continues doing so every time she is overexcited. It turns out that that is not so unusual on her mother\u2019s side of the family. Indeed, her mother, her grandmother and generations before did the same \u2026 and they each went through a ritual to suppress that side of their character. So, led by her grandmother, it is determined that Meilin will do the same.<\/p>\n
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Only Meilin is discovering that she doesn\u2019t want to do what her mother asks all the time. After all, she is now a teenager and would like to enjoy adolescent experiences with her three girlfriends. In particular, she wants to attend a concert by a boy band the same night as her ritual is due to take place. And it isn\u2019t as if she hasn\u2019t worked hard to raise the money to be there.<\/p>\n
A delightful fantasy, Turning Red combines the mystical and the magical with the rites of passage that children go through. Written (with Julio Cho) and directed by Domee Shi (who won an Oscar for Best Animated Short in 2019), this colourful and creative film showcases the two sides to Meilin\u2019s character \u2026 and there\u2019s a lot to like about her. And before you think the film is preaching subversion, that isn\u2019t the case. Rather, it\u2019s about discovering who you are and charting your own path. It gravitates around striking a balance between following a lead and doing what you think is right.<\/p>\n