MINDING THE GAP
If you ever want a break from fiction, MINDING THE GAP (trailer here) is as real and raw as documentaries get. I was initially expecting a typical skater movie, but the film goes much deeper, delving into the personal lives of three skater friends—and their abusive childhoods. The director grew up with the kids in a poor suburb of Illinois, and they let him in on some incredibly personal moments. I couldn’t believe how unfiltered and genuine the reactions were—no actor could produce that kind of emotion. At its core, this is a coming of age story, and the two leads are the perfect subjects. While they both suffered abuse as kids and found an escape in skateboarding, their personalities could not be more different. You can watch it on Hulu wherever and whenever, just have some tissues nearby if you’re a crier ;)
—Daniel Shifren, Production & Development Intern
