About Minding the Gap

Minding the Gap is a critically acclaimed documentary film directed by Bing Liu. The movie explores the lives of Liu and his two friends Zack Mulligan and Keire Johnson who are passionate about skateboarding. It gives a deep insights into issues such as race, class, domestic violence and masculinity, as the boys transition into adulthood in their hometown of Rockford, Illinois. The film expertly combines archival footage and raw interviews to create a touching narrative about the challenges of growing up and the healing power of skateboarding.

Making / Production

Liu painstakingly spent over 12 years following and filming the lives of his closest friends and their shared love for skateboarding. "Minding the Gap" was produced by Diane Quon and edited by Joshua Altman. The film was created in association with the Independent Television Services, and primarily funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Actors

• Bing Liu: The director of the movie and one of its main characters, he tells his story with wit and sensitivity.
• Zack Mulligan: A dedicated skater who struggles with adult responsibilities and his own violent tendencies.
• Keire Johnson: A young black man trying to navigate life in a predominantly white environment, while dealing with the loss of his father.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film took 12 years to complete and features over 800 hours of footage.
• It marked Bing Liu's debut as a director.
• The film was shot in Director Bing Liu's home town, Rockford, Illinois.
• The documentary was financed by Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform.

Awards

"Minding the Gap" won the U.S Documentary Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. It also got nominated for the Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards, and won the Award for Best Documentary at the 34th Independent Spirit Awards.

Quotes

• "We form a family together. We're all going through the war in our own way."
• "When you're a kid, you just do, you just act and then somewhere along the line, everyone loses that."

Music & Soundtracks

• "The Rain Song" - Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou
• "On Growing Up" - Nathan Halpern & Chris Ruggiero
• "Night Falls on the City" - Jacques Greene