“Home Court” Screening & Q&A
Ashley Chea is a Cambodian American basketball phenom. Home Court, filmed over three years, is a coming-of-age story that relays the highs and lows of her immigrant family, surmounting racial and class differences, as well as personal trials that include a devastating knee injury. Despite the intensity of basketball recruiting, Ashley’s humor shines through and her natural talent inspires the support of those around her.
The film opens in Ashley’s sophomore year of high school. She shuttles between her home in a lower-income neighborhood in Los Angeles and her private school, Flintridge Prep, while traveling to youth basketball tournaments and visiting colleges around the country. Ashley’s parents work long hours at their donut shop, so her coach, Jayme Kiyomura Chan, steps in where they cannot, taking Ashley to doctor visits and helping her get her driver’s permit.
With the pressure of being one of the top basketball recruits in the country, tensions rise as Ashley decides between college offers. Her dad favors nearby UC Berkeley, but she chooses Princeton University, feeling more at home with the coaches and players there. During her senior year, Ashley leads her basketball team to victory in an upset against their rivals, with her family, friends, and Princeton’s head coach cheering her on from the sidelines. The film culminates in the bittersweet moments of Ashley leaving for college with her family.
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Erica Tanamachi
Home Court