Join us on the Myrtle Lawn for Growing Pains: Coming-of-Age Stories. Adulthood is hard, but getting there can be even harder. This genre-spanning program showcases stories as deep and varied as adolescence itself. Whether saddling up for a rodeo competition, encountering ghosts in a new country, or racing around the city, these films feature familiar and fascinating stories about the challenges of growing up—and the resilience of those who do it. Come celebrate youth through all its complications, in the city and beyond. Presented in partnership with New York City Council Member Crystal Hudson.

The films include:

• Closing Dynasty
  Lloyd Lee Choi | US | 16 mins
  On a school day, seven-year-old Queenie hustles and schemes ways to make money on the streets of New York City.

• Cowgirl
  Chase Musslewhite | US | 15 mins
  Hailing from a long line of cowboys and cowgirls, Krishaun Adair has paved her own way in the rodeo world as both a competitor and a rodeo host. We follow her and her daughter, a barrel racing duo, as they prepare for an upcoming competition.

• EBONY
  Sean-Josahi Brown | US | 20 mins
  Filmed over two years, Ebony, a single mom raising six kids in a transitional housing program in Brownsville, Brooklyn, aims to create a better life for her children by moving them into permanent housing. This sensitive narrative playfully blends Ebony's story with footage taken by her children. Their cinematography composes the essence of their day-to-day life, from mundane chores to hard fought moments of dancing and joy. A story of optimism shines from the most unlikely place.

• Homing
  Ricardo Javier Varona | US | 15 mins
  In a rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood, a reclusive pigeon keeper is tasked with caring for his estranged daughter for a day, but is blindsided by a revelation that could mean losing her for good.

• The Old Young Crow
  Liam LoPinto| Japan, US | 12 mins
  In the twilight of his life, Mehrdad, now an elderly man, reminisces about his transformative journey from Iran to Japan, a poignant odyssey that began in the wake of his mother's passing when he was just a young boy. His narrative unfolds around a heartwarming encounter with an elderly Japanese woman, forged amidst the hushed serenity of a graveyard and facilitated by the pages of his cherished sketchbook.

• Practice Space
  Dan Perlman | US | 11 mins
  Close friends Edwin and Steven advise each other on dating and drama — based on zero experience — while seeking a spot to hang after school.

RSVP is encouraged, but not required. Seating is first come, first served. We encourage you to bring a yoga mat, picnic blanket, or foldable chair for seating.