Citation: Shi, D. (2022, March 11). Turning red [Video]. Disney. DisneyPlus. https://www.disneyplus.com/movies/turning-red/4mFPCXJi7N2m
Set in the early 2000s in Toronto, Turning Red had some amazing representation! Following Meilin “Mei” Lee, an eighth grader who loves her friends and music, is going through changes, physically and emotionally. Mei is so close to her family that she helps her mother, Ming, with the Temple after school. However, Mei is changing, and rebelling against her mother is one of the biggest changes that is happening to her and her household. Navigating the world as an eighth grader isn’t always easy, especially when a family curse turns you into a red panda whenever your emotions take a hold!
There are moments that are intense, so the suggestion is 12 years and up (although I can see this being valuable for people even younger than that, as conversations surrounding menstruation would be great to start early, and some will have had their period before they can even see the movie). The pairing of puberty and cultural differences is an excellent way of getting everyone involved in the conversation of celebrating our differences. Each of us grows up differently, but we can be there for each other.
Read our other reviews of Turning Red here and here!
Can I say best Disney ever?!