Reviews & Quotes | HOME COURT

Overly Honest Reviews | Chris Jones, Editor/Writer
"HOME COURT explores ambition, identity, and resilience through the captivating journey of Ashley Chea. This Cambodian American teenager's dream of achieving basketball stardom is portrayed with depth and nuance, ensuring the film resonates profoundly with its audience. As an aside, I have to say that this is one of the most straightforward yet emotionally powerful documentaries that I’ve seen in some time. This story of Chea’s journey is remarkable because of who she is and how far she pushes herself to be."

Dr. Evyn Lê Espiritu Gandhi, Associate Professor, Department of Asian American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles (Tovaangar);
2024-25 Stanford Humanities Center Fellow; Author of Archipelago of Resettlement: Vietnamese Refugee Settlers and Decolonization across Guam and Israel-Palestine (University of California Press, 2022); Co-editor with Vinh Nguyen of The Routledge Handbook of Refugee Narratives (Routledge, 2023)
"Moving, inspirational, educational: HOME COURT brings together the histories of US War in Southeast Asia, Japanese American incarceration, Cambodian American donut shop ownership, and the "J League" through the story of one girl's journey to pursue her dreams through basketball. A must-see for those interested in Asian American studies."

Dr. Thuy Vo Dang, Assistant Professor, Information Studies and Asian American Studies - University of California, Los Angeles oral historian, arts advocate and author from Orange County, California
"With so much heart and courage, Home Court takes us on an adrenaline-pumping journey with Ashley Chea, a Cambodian American high school basketball player and her Japanese American coach. The intersectional histories of Asian America frames Ashley’s deeply moving personal journey to work through her family’s refugee past and working-class struggles, while seeking belonging through basketball."

Erica's sister in law (texted)
"Being ‘so Asian’ sometimes, not in my nature to say these things, but wanted to say how I’m so incredibly proud of you Erica and Homecourt and the family that you and Jared have created (figuratively and metaphorically). I was just listening to the full clips of the SVAPFF after screening interviews with Jenn and Kristi Y and sadly had to keep reminding myself that not everyone in the (Asian) immigrant community has the same mainstream resources and role models that are highlighted in Homecourt (and what I sometimes take for granted). Even the limited access/resources that Jared, I and cousins had is well above what most have. There is a dearth of that representation in celluloid and mainstream films. It is so important to shine the light on these stories, especially in light of the election last week. Ever vigilant!
Simply put, from an immensely grateful heart💜Thank You"

Austin Asian American Film Festival: Jury Award - Documentary Feature Film
"We learn about Ashley Chea and her personal history of triumph and perseverance as a first generation Cambodian American basketball player, in a narrative that also captures her parents experiences as refugees fleeing the Khmer Rouge, and her coach’s personal commitment to using sport to empower Asian American youth. The storytelling is entertaining and uplighting without shying away from difficult histories of war and displacement, gender roles, cultural adaptation and change, and the experiences of young Asian American women in sport. The film also highlights the importance of uplifting the narratives of a spectrum of Asian American identity, including Hapa, Japanese American, and Southeast Asian American communities, which are often underrepresented."

Kristi Yamaguchi
"“There are so many, layers to [HOME COURT]...I feel like I’ve been crying for the last hour. It was amazing.”
“It’s such an inspiring film”
“It’s something so many young athletes should watch because it’s not just about winning and personal glory but you really see Ashley kind of embrace that role of leadership and the growth that she had in just the two years you follow her."