Hello, Universe

In a West African village, a newborn boy named Kirikou speaks, walks and sets out to save his people from Karaba, the sorceress who has dried up their spring. The question he keeps asking is why she is so cruel. The answer changes how the story ends. It is based on West African folktales and runs about 70 minutes.

Why it’s here: The film turns a fairy tale about a tiny hero into a story about asking why the villain does what she does. What's punk is that Kirikou wins by understanding, not by force. What's pedagogical is the question itself, which is one a kid can carry out of the theatre. A good pick for a family watch. Note: the film is sometimes critiqued for its stereotyped portrayal of West Africa, written by a French director, and it includes non-sexual nudity.

A sixteen-year-old chasing a missing-billionaire mystery with her best friend has to navigate love, friendship, and grief while living inside an unrelenting spiral of intrusive thoughts. Adapted from John Green's novel.

Why it’s here: Punk in depicting intrusive thoughts from the inside without turning them into a redemption arc or a clean cure — Aza's experience isn't resolved, it's managed, imperfectly, alongside friendship and love. Pedagogical in normalizing that living with a mental health condition is compatible with a full life, not a tragedy to overcome.