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About this submission
There’s a unique beauty to the simplicity of pickup basketball, between strangers who may only know each other by their trash talk or jump shot. For me, it has become a form of coping with day-to-day stress, a space of release and expression, yet also unlikely companionship. This sparked my interest in streetball as an unconventional form of self-therapy, specifically in the context of masculinity, where traditional self-help methods are often stigmatized. AYO, CHECK UP! finds two casual hoopers whose respective internal struggles manifest in an over-competitive, highly physical one-on-one, a toxic projection of the issues they’re unwilling to face.
Creator
Nathan Xia is a Chinese American actor, filmmaker, and indie-rock artist from San Diego, California. At age 19, he gained notoriety for his viral film GOODNIGHT AMERICA (starring Xolo Maridueña and Jacob Bertrand), boasting 1.8M+ views across the film and trailer. At age 20, he made his next film, OH, MIGHTY OCEAN! (starring Jack Griffo, Peyton List, and Jacob Bertrand) which was quickly acquired and distributed by Omeleto, ShortsTV, and Gonella Productions. Concurrently, Xia wrote, directed, and starred in his debut micro-budget feature film, CHASING SUNDANCE, acquired by Freestyle Digital Media and distributed worldwide on platforms like Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and Tubi.
As Xia matured, his films and creative sensibilities did as well. He found inspiration in feeling misunderstood and began using his art to tackle themes of mental health, coming-of-age, and his Asian American experience through an emotionally vibrant and comedic personal lens. His next film, ADAM’S SONG, screened at various festivals and won awards at the Nashville Film Festival and the Ouray International Film Festival before being acquired for online distribution by Wong Fu Productions, NextShark, and FilmShortage, and broadcast television distribution by PBS. His next film, AYO, CHECK UP!, premiered at Lebron James’ Uninterrupted Film Festival and continues its festival run today.
Xia is based in Los Angeles, acting in film and television projects, making rock music, and developing his debut feature film, ADAM’S SONG. more...