Miao Wang’s second feature documentary Maineland follows two teenage high school students from China who arrive at Fryeburg Academy in Maine looking forward to the 2012 fall semester and the prospect of future admission to U.S. universities. The students, Zhu Xinyi who goes by Stella and He Junru who goes by Harry, navigate through a new cultural environment with two different approaches—Stella joins the cheerleading team and gains friends, and Harry, a talented pianist, turns his focus to his music. Fluent in English and coming from well-off families, Stella and Harry find the adjustment to small town Maine to be more difficult than expected.
Both a commentary on the complexities of the education system and a story of adolescence, Wang’s documentary is most importantly about Stella and Harry, two young people who navigate the ever-changing world of education, social dynamics and culture to build their own futures in this Maineland.
New York based director Miao Wang is a multidisciplinary filmmaker and artist whose work includes art design, web design, and illustration. She graduated from Parsons School of Design in 2005 and turned to non-fiction filmmaking, earning accolades from her work as both artist and director. Maineland is her second-feature film.
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