Prod. Asian Family Services
Featuring six ethnically diverse young New Zealanders sharing their journeys towards self-acceptance, The Inbetweeners, it is okay to be in both worlds, reminds you of where we’ve been and still how far we have to go.
Developed by the Ministry of Ethnic Communities and produced by Asian Family Services, Inbetweeners intends to enlighten viewers on overcoming the struggles of growing up ethnic in Aotearoa.
Government-funded production quality aside, the documentary is quite sweet. There’s the classic anecdotes about childhood bullying and racism that so many of us can relate to (but frankly, grow weary at restating). At the same time, the documentary holds space for an immense variety of experiences. It’s heartening to see individuals empowered by their ethnic identity, and that even if being ‘ethnic’ is a bullshit made-up category, they can shape what that means for themselves.
Perhaps where the documentary disappoints is that there’s a tone of the only real commonality that ethnic people share is a common oppressor. And maybe that’s true, and perhaps one shouldn’t expect so much from a documentary made from a Ministry studio lot. But audiences are allowed to crave for a narrative that doesn’t fall into the mindset of ‘Us versus Them’.
A good watch for ethnic people who only date white people.
