The Young and the Reckless: A Weekend with Sandi Tan

Fresh off the massive critical acclaim of her first feature-length documentary film, Shirkers, film critic, writer and filmmaker Sandi Tan has been on a world tour, recounting the story behind the unfinished film shot with her friends in Singapore in 1992. What has emerged from these public Q&As, online interviews and print articles is more than just the story behind the film; Tan has duly won over cinephiles and culture fiends alike with her acute taste, undying curiosity and an archaeologist’s tenacity for unearthing heretofore unsung cinematic gems. We invited Tan to dig through our vaults to excavate a handful of films that have inspired her, culminating in her dream program, all from UCLA Film & Television Archive’s extensive collection. For one weekend, we are thrilled to have guest curator Sandi Tan present four films, each of which, in their own vanguard style, exists in dialogue with her teenage road movie that never was, and represents her inspiration found in “youth in revolt” stories and tales of outsiders. Your only assignment is to do your homework: Shirkers can be viewed on Netflix right now!