Maryam

It's rare to see a coming-of-age film re-invent new approaches to illustrate the obstacles associated with adolescence. Maryam does that in two ways. First, the late '70's are used as an advantage for the period piece setting. Then it shows racism as a unique obstacle for the young protagonist to overcome in addition to her other life struggles. It's a sweet and small movie, equal parts indie flick and thoughtful After School Special. Still, it is impactful and unjustly overlooked.

"It's tough being a black man in America, especially when the Man has taken away your car, your work-hours and denied you health insurance." - Ed Gonzalez