In the aftermath of 9/11 and his brother's murder, a South Asian teen living in Queens struggles to keep his anger in check.
Punching at the Sun:
South Asian immigrant culture, post 9/11 politics, interracialrelationships, violent streets, and the American firestorm of hip-hop culture all mix into a fierce concoction in Tanuj Chopra's vibrant andspirited first feature, Punching at the Sun. Elmhurst, Queens, is arough place for Mameet Nayak, a beautiful 17-year-old South Asianimmigrant with a passion for basketball and a hair-trigger temper. Itgets rougher when his older brother, Sanjay, is gunned down in thefamily convenience store. The loss leaves Mameet in a complicatedstate of mourning and adolescent nihilism. His rage and antagonism toward the world make him a magnet for trouble. His friends, Riteshand Parnav, are hilarious company, though not particularly encouragingin Mameet's attempts to rise above the negative forces in his life.But an adorable neighborhood sneaker salesgirl, Shawni, offers a lightof hope in cracking Mameet's self-destructive shell. And inspiring rapperformances by the charismatic MC Uncle Sonny conjure Mameet'sability to find a sense of optimism in a violent world that he feelsis determined to view him as an outsider. Chopra draws passionate andgenuine performances from his talented young cast, led by the giftedMisu Khan. Urgent and contemporary, Punching at the Sun sheds light on an American perspective rarely reflected on the screen, and glistenswith the freshness and vital energy of a new directorial voice.
-- (c) Sundance Film Festival
