Drawing on over 12 years of footage, Bing Liu’s Academy Award-nominated documentary is a celebration of skateboarding and a portrait of young manhood. 

Recorded in his hometown of Rockford, Illinois – which has been devastated by decades of recession – the film follows Bing’s friends, 23-year-old Zack and 17-year-old Keire, as they navigate volatile family relationships and daunting adult responsibilities. By delving into the most intimate corners of his friends’ lives, as well as his own, Bing reveals the painful origins of their shared love of skateboarding, which has provided the young men with a much-needed community and sense of purpose. With tremendous emotional agility and tact, Minding the Gap explores the layers of trauma in these young men’s lives and reflects on the profoundly unifying impact of skateboarding.