3rd i SFISAFF: TikTok, Boom

What does it mean to be a digital native? TIKTOK, BOOM dissects one of the most influential platforms of the contemporary social media landscape. Directed by CODED BIAS filmmaker Shalini Kantayya, the film keenly examines the algorithmic, sociopolitical, economic, and cultural influences and impact of the history-making app. This rigorous exploration balances a genuine interest in the TikTok community and its innovative mechanics with a healthy skepticism around the security issues, global political challenges, and racial biases behind the platform. A cast of Gen Z subjects, including influencer Feroza Aziz and beatboxer Spencer X – the son of an Ecuadorian immigrant father and a first-generation Asian-American mother – remains at its center, making this one of the most needed and empathetic films exploring what it means to be a digital native.

With this new director’s cut, Kantayya, an Emmy-nominated Sundance Fellow, continues her engagement in the space where technology meets, amplifies, and opposes our humanity. Her incisive, current look at the power and complexity of tech continues to advance a conversation that is bettered by her careful stewardship.

Presented as part of 3rd I Film Festival.