This documentary premiered at the San Francisco International Film Festival and won the Audience Award for Best Documentary. “Speaking in Tongues” offers an intriguing look at San Francisco’s bilingual education system including language immersion for Cantonese, Mandarin, and Spanish. The film follows an Asian American, African American, Mexican American, and Caucasian through the system. While most parents want their kids to be bilingual, it’s interesting to see the parental reactions when they think their child’s English language skills may suffer while being immersed in another language. (BTW – Watch the trailer. These kids have mad skills speaking Cantonese and Mandarin. Accents virtually undetectable.)

Here’s a short synopsis

In a time where 31 states have passed English Only initiatives, one urban school district is exploring the provocative notion that speaking a foreign language can be a national asset. Follow four diverse students and their families as they encounter the challenges and delights of becoming fluent in two languages. Witness their journey, as we see how speaking more than one language changes them, their families, their communities, and maybe even the world.

Additional screenings are in the works for San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, and Chicago. Look for the film playing at a festival near you. More info about the film here.

Speaking in Tongues Trailer