By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.75 cats
Director: Marlo Poras
Country: united_states
Year: 2002
Running time: 71
IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0316201
Michael says: “The final film of our P-Town extravaganza comes from Boston filmmaker Marla Poras. Mai is a Vietnamese girl who comes to America… more specifically rural Mississippi to spend her Senior Year in High School as an exchange student. While struggling to fit in with her white Pentecostal host family, she befriends Christy, a drag Queen who opens her eyes and her own natural independence. Mai’s struggles with American life a poignantly presented, and while some of the documentary seems staged, Mai’s natural exuberance and good humor make MAI’S AMERICA a rewarding film. Poras and Christy were present for a Q&A.” 3 1/2 cats
Laura says: “The plucky privileged Vietnamese exchange student who travels to the rural South has personality plus, making this an intriguing look at cultural clash and adaptation. Mai makes friends from a hymn-singing drag queen to an elderly couple who show her genuine affection. Most surprisingly, Mai’s life in America lands her in a position similar to one on the streets of Hanoi she had sympathized with before her trip.” 4 cats