Eighth Grade

Eighth-grader Kayla Day always has her phone in hand, hoping to find connections online that might make up for those she’s unable to forge in everyday life. She makes YouTube videos aimed at other adolescents dealing with similar issues - feelings of isolation, anxiety, and invisibility - but after so easily summoning this wisdom and confidence when addressing her (barely existent) audience, Kayla finds it paralyzingly difficult to apply in real situations. In the final week of a thus-far-disastrous school year - and with high school looming on the horizon - Kayla struggles to bridge the gap between how she perceives herself and who she believes she should be. (Sundance Film Festival)