Malaysian Film Festival in Singapore
The Kid from the Big Apple
Language
Mandarin with English, Chinese & Malay subtitles
Cast
Tommy Tam, Sarah Tan, Jason Tan, Jessica Hester Hsuan, Ti Lung
Synopsis
Sarah, a 12-year girl was born and raised in New York City. As Sarah’s mother has to relocate to China for a few months on a work assignment, she has no choice but to turn to her estranged father back in Malaysia for help in looking after her daughter for these few months. To a contemporary youngster like Sarah, raised in the Big Apple since birth, Malaysia seems like all her worst nightmares come true.
To begin with, Sarah feels isolated and lonely in this strange, new place. Living in one of the group apartments with her grandfather, initially Sarah hides her insecurities underneath a cloak of bravado and treats her new neighbours as though they are truly beneath her.
Influence from a group of friendly neighbours around her age and a period of time living under the same roof as her grandfather, slowly opens Sarah’s heart to the “strangers” she finds around her. The once ‘Stuck-up’ Sarah comes to learn and understand the reasons why her mother and grandfather care so much about their cultural traditions.