For Part 2, to read the Plot discussion, go here. After the Dallas deal falls through, Jacob realizes that he will face financial ruin if he doesnt find another buyer for his produce before it starts to rot. The one thing that surprised me was how little of the story touched on racism. Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, "Minari" explores the experience of 1980s America for one Korean American family. Tricksters can also act as allies and that is an example of such a moment. Its been 139 years since the Chinese Exclusion Act that suspended Chinese immigration and declared Chinese Americans ineligible for citizenship (which wasnt repealed until 1943), but the idea of the immigrant as foreign and unassimilable hasnt gone away. $60. Bruder's book called attention to the economic ruthlessness of the Amazon setup, and the effect of the toil on older employees; Zhao is more focussed on Fern, as she greets her fellow-drones at . Instead, she plays cards and swears. Later, he sprints after his grandmother to retrieve her after Soon-ja wanders off, post-barn fire. Start by introducing the movie and give students some context as to why its worth thinking more deeply about. Jacob and Monica have long chased the American dream. This changes after Soon-Jas arrival. Promise. I have been a life long lover of pop culture, especially television, turned that passion into writing about all things entertainment related. But underlying all of that, its less the immigration but the heart and sentiments, the relationships of the people doing that. Create something -- a piece of writing, art, music, a game, etc. Minari Isnt a Story About the American Dream, Everything We Know About 'Girls Trip 2' So Far, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Create something that gives this person a proper shout out. Minari, directed by Lee Isaac Chung, is a semi-autobiographical story about the Yi family. This is a story that many can connect to because its the story of the American dream. So anyone can pick and eat it. Its a surreal moment of contradictory emotions for Jacob. The kids go to church so they can call their mother. Understand the influences of organizations and systems of behavior. Why do you think David does what he does, and why does Soonja defend him? Use this lesson to help students consider how they can: If you only want to show brief parts of the film and discuss them with students, use these helpful clips to get you started. Or perhaps better to think of them as you portray them: Characters evolving from one type of relationship with David to another. Dan M. Jack K. Jean H; 8 attendees "Minari" Discussion Group Friday, July 16. A new film called "Minari" is an immigrant tale rarely portrayed. But I kept thinking about how Minari is being marketed and wondered, Is this really a story about the American dream? But when the fire turns into a raging inferno, they must decide what is most important to them and leave the rest. Jacob and Monica fight as the kids make paper airplanes with the message "Don't fight!" Can you think of a situation where you make your voice heard even though you can't really change what's happening? Can you identify a choice the filmmakers made about music, camera angles, etc. This also ties with the idea of the healing powers of minari, a plant that purifies the creek water. Clip #1: Jacob explains how the male chicks are "discarded," and that means it's important to be useful. He also explained that minari has a purifying effect and clears poor soil and water. Is she what David expected? Though she's not avery dynamiccharacter, she plays a huge role in holding everything together. By Richard Lawson February 22, 2021 Writer-director. It's expected to be a favorite for several major awards and. It often evolves from a yearning to escape the daily grind and a feeling of nostalgia. But we see, at the end, he is going to try again. Soon-ja repeatedly tells her daughter to let David be a normal child. Specifically how our choices are influenced by our character traits, values, and virtues. It's interesting to track both of them, how they compare and contrast. Yeri Han summed up in a Korea Times interview how the film resonates with audiences of many different backgrounds. If that makes sense. (35:37-37:58), Clip #8: The family goes to church, and people there react in various ways to them being Korean. * The fire: A major reversal, indeed, the destruction of what Jacob had worked so hard to build, the barn a symbol of what the farm *could* be. To show you how a discussion guide is constructed, i've broken down a two hour interview into a simple guide. That is, their Attractor function doesn't change overall, rather they don a mentor, nemesis, or trickster mask from time to time to fit where they are emotionally and support their goal at that time. David expects his grandmother to be able to bake cookies. What do you think this statement shows about Jacob's motivations? Beyond the snake, what does Soonja mean about things that hide? Complex characters. "Wonderful, wonderful!" The dual-language Minari Screenplay Book features Korean translations of all texts alongside the original English. Grandma drinks it, he's punished, and Grandma defends him. Yeri Han, Noel Kate Cho, Steven Yeun, and Alan S. Kim, from the cast of "Minari." Photo: A24. He adamantly thinks that Soon-ja is not a real grandmother because she doesnt cook or bake cookies. MINARI tells the story of the Yi family through the eyes of David (Alan S. Kim), a young boy whose family has uprooted from California to Arkansas to chase his father Jacob's (Steven Yeun) dream of owning a farm.David and his older sister, Anne (Noel Cho), try to find their place in Arkansas, while their mother, Monica (Yeri Han), wishes she was still in California, where she felt comfortable . She says American kids don't like sharing their room and Monica says, "He's a Korean kid." Be the first to contribute! If you only have a single class period, showing just a few key clips below might be perfect. Digital Citizenship Resources for Families, Workshops for Middle and High School Families, CASEL 5 competencies for social and emotional learning, thinking routines from the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero, selected scenes and discussion questions listed earlier in this article, Inside Out and SEL: A Movie Guide and Lesson Plan for Your Classroom, Whale Rider and SEL: A Movie Guide and Lesson Plan for Your Classroom, Teachers' Essential Guide to Showing Movies and Videos in the Classroom. Soon-ja, who has recently suffered a stroke, accidentally sets fire to the barn where Jacob keeps his produce. Why? Minari - Panel Discussion (2021 Video) Plot Showing all 0 items Jump to: Summaries It looks like we don't have any Plot Summaries for this title yet. The plant serves as a metaphor for the Yi familys struggles to adapt to their new life and the day-to-day challenges they encounter. Anticipate and evaluate the consequences of theiractions. Use as few or as many clips as you see fit, but keep in mind that you may need to introduce the movie's overall plot and talk through some of what happens before or after each clip. Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. Why do you think so? What are Monica's? She says American kids don't like sharing their room and Monica says, "He's a Korean kid." What do you think this statement shows about Jacob's motivations? If you haven't seen Minari yet, queue this one for your next movie night. Dowsing is a very old practice considered to be pseudoscience by some and legitimate folk wisdom by others. Common Sense Media. Students can write down responses individuallyand then discuss in pairs, small groups, or as a whole class. SPOILERS AHEAD. A sweet, tender, and authentic look into a Korean family moving into the United States and vying for that elusive American Dream. And again, the event in the plotline spurs trouble within the family as Soonja disappears, a crisis the family has to deal with. Demonstrate personal and collective agency. David leads dad down to the creek. Young David and his family move from California to Arkansas to settle in a mobile home on vacant land, which the father hopes to farm. that made it especially memorable? The Minari ending shows the Yi family getting good news, first with Davids heart murmur, and then with Jacob finding a grocer, but the second good news is immediately followed by bad news. CASEL 5 competencies for social and emotional learning, Thinking Routines from the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero, selected scenes and discussion questions listed earlier in this article. This is *exactly* the kind of movie I like. Grandma sees David as an American kid and Monica asserts that he's a Korean kid. We're about to get into spoilers from the movie, so if you haven't watched it yet, read no further! Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home." Reading scripts. (49:44-55:13), Clip #10: After Jacob learns a deal fell through with a Korean business owner, there's a shot of the smoke stack for "discarded" useless male chicks. It feels like one of those stories where character archetypes may be of some value in analyzing the story, but not of central importance. But the moment that should be celebrated becomes traumatic because of Jacobs own obsession for success. Minari, which won a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, follows the story of an immigrant Korean family who move from California to Arkansas in hopes for a better life and land to call their own.Starring The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun alongside a . If you decide to help students delve deeper into the topic, you might show the entire film and have more extensive discussions over multiple days. Why does Jacob mention that he's the eldest son? What does Jacob's decision to grow Korean vegetables in Arkansas say about culture and identity? Theyll build something better from the ashes of their original missteps. Minari is a tender account of hope deferred, of the limits of paradise, and of finding the strength to carry on. David aspires to be one of the gang and hanging with Johnnie provides that opportunity, however, Johnnie has a wild streak and that stands in opposition to the steadfastness required of the family to survive on the farm. Why? We see this theme of strength played out with David's character. Is there a "right"? Once the movie is over, you can use all of the questions and activities or pick and choose, depending on how much time you have. Identify their personal, cultural, and linguistic assets. At the end of Minari, the family is struggling financially and now have no product because their barn burned down, but this fire has basically regenerated the family. Does she find it at church? He saw this as an overall analogy for the immigrant experience, which he shared in a Filmmaker Magazine interview: Later, you know, I started to see a lot of those connectionsto immigration itself, and to the stories of the people who came over and planted themselves in the worst soils and started to thrive and grow. Start with the foundations of your research project: Identify their personal, cultural, and linguistic assets. Written by: Lee Isaac Chung. 0. Things that hide are more dangerous and scary." As you say, it *does* feel like a "conventional narrative movie," and one thing it suggests at the script stage (I have yet to see the movie) is it has powerful emotions running through: A man with a dream. They'll also considerhow this might play out for others who aren't like themselves. Thats because something momentous is happening when one more, in just a handful of Asian American narratives, is released. Jacob hopes to become a successful farmer, hoping to produce Korean vegetables for the Southern states growing Korean population. But the desire to be seen onscreen is such an important part of our identity, the question we all asked ourselves was: Will any story do? Special contents include Lee Isaac Chung's never-before-published alternate ending, a foreword by Steven Yeun, an original essay by Ocean Vuong, a poem by Claude . Instead, he finds water by figuring out the low grounds. What unfolds from there may read like a normative immigrant tale of three generational differences, but it felt much more unique than that. Here are my takeaways via each days discussion. Minari Film Discussion, March 11, 2021. To her surprise and horror, he picks the latter. Jacob then gets more good news when the grocery store owner agrees to have Jacob be his produce supplier. Jacob and she accept that their marriage is done. That seems to be an apt line about David's family, how despite the hardships they face, they prove to be able to "grow anywhere," even on their struggling Arkansas farm. As kids, what do moments like this mean about our understanding of the world and how it works? But Minari, a film made by an American, produced by an American company, and cast with American actors, was still placed in the Best Foreign Language Film category of the Golden Globes. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, success remains elusive because of the things over which we dont have any control. Step 1: List out and order the main topics of your interview. Why? Minh Ngo (he/they) is a filmmaker, photographer, writer, and student at New York University. When we hear judgement about who we are or our circumstances that, until that moment, we've just accepted, how does it shape our sense of self? (7:56-9:40), Clip #2: A thunderstorm is in full swing, and everyone's scared. If . Jacob sees the minari and says, It's growing well on its own." Dowsing is a very old practice considered to be pseudoscience by some and legitimate folk wisdom by others. How does Cather bring the novel full circle, mirroring Jim's observation, "What a little circle man's experience is"? The problem is, Jacob doesnt have a particularly high opinion of the other Korean immigrants. A week-long analysis of this Oscar-nominated screenplay. She embraces her new life with a certain childlike wonder that is absent even in Jacob. It features a Korean family in rural Arkansas, and it's already received major recognition, including a Golden Globe Award. In the closing scenes, Jacob and David visit the creek to collect minari, which have grown in abundance since Soon-ja planted them. Fri, Jul 16, 2021, 8:00 PM PDT "Minari" Discussion Group Friday July 16. Like minari, the family has finally and fully adapted to their new surroundings while maintaining the morsels of individuality that set them apart. When the Yi family arrives, Jacob rushes to the barn to try to stop it, then he tries to save some of his produce. We see David really run for the first time because hes no longer burdened by the heart murmur and he wants to stop his grandma from leaving. (1:05:33-1:10:00), Clip #12: Soonja has a stroke. Starring: Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan Kim, Yuh-jung Yoon, Will Patton. Screenplay written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung. I hope to see you in the RESPONSE section about this weeks script: Minari. The David - Soonja relationship is the central one in the story, however Jacob and Monica is also a powerful subplot. For Part 4, to read the Themes discussion go here. The growing minari also symbolizes hope for the Yi family to thrive in the future. A species of water dropwort, minari, also known as Korean watercress, water celery, water parsley, or Java water dropwort, is a vegetable found in temperate and tropical climes across Asia. "Minari" 's style is a disheartening example of the gravitational pull that such conventions exert on the cinema at large. The mother, Monica (Yeri Han), would rather be in California. (34:04-35:56), Clip #7: Grandma can't bake, but she shows the kids what she can do by teaching them a card game. News & Media Literacy Why do you think big events -- like birth, illness, death, a pandemic, etc. It's a specific instrument. Jacob sees the minari and says, It's growing well on its own." Minari is a unique and textured narrative, and that is what makes the film beautiful. The kids go to church so they can call their mother. Create something -- a piece of writing, art, music, a game, etc. I hope to see you in the RESPONSE section about this week's script: Minari. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. They fight. (1:02:06-1:03:57), Clip #11: After David gets hurt, Grandma emphasizes how strong he is. EVENT DATES & TIMES: Virtual screening: Saturday, May 15 between 6-10pm PST Post-movie discussion: Wednesday, May 19 from 4-5pm PST REGISTRATION Tickets are SOLD OUT. Alan S. Kim, left, Steven Yeun, Noel Kate Cho and Yeri Han star in "Minari.". Please refresh the page and try again. Not a coming-of-age movie so much as a deeply personal and lovingly poetic rendering of his Korean American childhood specifically, how it felt for his immigrant family to adjust to life in . But Chung's brilliance is in how he adds depth and complexity to those foundational ideas - it's in the spaces in between that we find love, loss, hope,. , 8:00 PM PDT & quot ; discussion Group Friday, July 16 the barn Jacob. Traumatic because of Jacobs own obsession for success for your next movie night the barn where Jacob keeps his.. 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