
BENTOBOX tells a story about Tim Benson, a ten-year old child of half Japanese-half American decent living with his immigrant mother, Okaasan, who prepares him lunches in the form of bentos. What she doesn’t know is that he’s teased and bullied for these lunches at school. Looking to run with the cool kids, Tim abandons his mother’s cooking and searches for American snacks to indulge on instead. With his father away overseas, Tim searches for his identity between his cultural Japanese household from the town he’s supposed to fit into, rejecting his mother entirely in the process.
Directed by Olivia Owyeung
Written & Produced by Victoria Hirakawa-Lee Castro
BENTOBOX is currently on the festival circuit.
Official Selection of Academy Award Qualifying Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
Official Selection of Academy Award Qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival