Year of the Gentle Tiger

Though it's been 27 years (!) since I saw this small film as part of the CBS Afternoon Playhouse it still flickers in my memory. A gentle, but engaging story of a young Asian teen boy trying to make friends in his community and make his dad proud as well. While working hard to develop his judo skills for the big competition the young Asian boy's (Keni) outlook on life, inspired by his martial art, helps him to make friends and fight with confidence at the judo competition. A touch of philosophy mixed in with the martial arts make for an excellent "coming of age" story. The fact that the film has remained so strongly in my memory despite not having seen it since it's original air date says something of the quality of the story.