Dandelion Seed

In Japanese high school, we figured out calculus problems by hand, deciphered an essay from the 11th century, and learned about diastrophism in earth science. When I moved to the United States at the age of seventeen, those years of rigorous education were reduced to answers like “yes” and “no.” There was so much that I wanted to express, but my limited English and cultural upbringing prevented me from sharing what was going on inside. I felt powerless, frustrated and I lost confidence. The struggle to adapt to a new culture is far more nuanced than how it is portrayed in cinema and TV. International students and immigrants are often regarded as the punchline of jokes or they are fetishised for their exoticism. They rarely play more than a supporting role in someone else’s story, nor are they portrayed as humans with multiple layers. Dandelion Seed shines a light on that quiet Asian girl who sits in the back of the classroom and depicts the complex hierarchy of high school through her eyes. The story will use the expressive potential of animation to show Kayo’s journey through adolescence – not just what happens, but how it feels to leave the innocence of childhood behind.