Buzz Cut

Synopsis: Union City, California 2013. EDWARD, a Filipino-American born and raised in the Bay Area, runs a barbershop. He’s finishing up with SAM, a regular. Outside, students are marching. They chant: “Know History, Know Self!” The march is about the renaming of a middle school after Filipino labor leaders Larry Itliong and Phillip Vera-Cruz. Sam downplays the efforts, claiming the funding raised could be better spent elsewhere. Edward is indifferent. He finishes up and Sam leaves. NICK, a Filipino transfer student, escapes his bullies by forcing his way into Edward’s shop for a place to hide. Edward reluctantly agrees after Nick asks for a haircut. The two learn more about each other. Nick, who was once a bright-eyed immigrant with hopes for a good life in America, realizes he doesn’t belong. Edward revisits a past trauma, recalling a time when he befriended another transfer student named LUIS. Through their conversation, they find a friend in each other and a desire for a fresh start. They part ways with a new outlook on their moral footing in America and the importance of community.