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IRON HANDS

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I really enjoyed this short film. The most appealing thing about this live action short is the strong female protagonist, a Chinese girl, who never gives up. Children will enjoy how uplifting and heartwarming it is. It might teach them about perseverance, even if one is struggling in a world of gender stereotypes. Also there is no interruption in its solid story flow. It is very straightforward and easy to follow. The music is very soothing and accompanies the storyline quite well. The camerawork, sets, locations and costumes are all top tier for their intended purpose. The quality of the film is high enough to show on the big screen. I highly recommend this short to play at any film festival or other event for a youth or family audience. It qualifies as an uplifting, Asian American feast for the eyes. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars for its uplifting story of a female weightlifter not giving up even with the gender stereotypes of today. I recommend it for ages 6 to 18 as well as adults.

As a 12-year-old girl prepares for her final test trying out for the traditionally all-boys Chinese youth Olympic weightlifting team, she makes an unlikely connection with the gym's reclusive groundskeeper.