Try Harder!

Premiered May 02, 2022
Directed by Debbie Lum

At San Francisco’s Lowell High School, stressed-out seniors chase college dreams.

About the Documentary

At Lowell High School, San Francisco's academic pressure cooker, the kids are stressed out. With a majority Asian American student body, high-achieving seniors share their dreams and anxieties about getting into a top university. But is college worth the grind?

The Filmmakers

Debbie Lum

Debbie Lum (producer/director) explored cultural stereotypes in My Tiger Mom and Seeking Asian Female. She made two short docs for Wayne Wang about his films Chan Is Missing and Dim Sum, co-produced and edited Kelly Loves Tony (PBS’s POV), and edited To You Sweetheart, Aloha and the Emmy-winning a.k.a. Don Bonus (POV). Lum wrote and directed fictional films Chinese Beauty, A Great Deal! and One April Morning.

Documentaries Available to Watch Now

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Documentaries Coming Soon

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Awards

2021 Independent Spirit Awards

Truer Than Fiction Award

Learn More About the Documentary

Four black and white marbled composition notebook emblazoned with the phrase "Try Harder!" set against a yellow background.
Contests

Try to Win a Try Harder! Notebook

Students walk outside the entrance to Lowell High School.
Beyond the Films

A Wild Two Years Since ‘Try Harder’: What You Need to Know About Lowell High School

A scantron sheet from a standardized test with a yellow post-it stuck to it reading "Are you smarter than a high schooler?"
Test Your Knowledge

A Hard “Try Harder!” Quiz: Are You Smarter than a High Schooler?

An illustration of a young girl weighed down by a heavy red and yellow backpack.
Beyond the Films

How Today’s High School Students Face High Pressure in a Grind Culture

An Asian American student smiles at graduation, wearing a burgundy cap and gown.
Behind the Films

Telling Asian American Stories That Resonate: Filmmaker Explores Why These High School Students Are Stressed Out