Eighth Grade 2018

Movie · 94 min · English · January 19, 2018

Coming-of-age Coming-of-age comedy-drama Independent

Directed by Bo BurnhamWritten by Bo Burnham

Starring Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Emily Robinson, Catherine Oliviere, Jake Ryan

Eighth Grade is a 2018 American coming-of-age film written and directed by Bo Burnham. The story centers on a teenager (Elsie Fisher) dealing with anxiety while trying to fit in with her classmates during the last week of eighth grade. She spends much time creating seemingly inspiring vlogs but often fixates on social media interactions.

Burnham started developing the screenplay in 2014, hoping to express his personal struggles with anxiety and panic attacks from his stand-up comedy days. By making the main character reflect his own experiences, he also explored how young people today handle mental health issues, social media influence, sexual development, relationships, parent-child dynamics, and growing self-awareness. He focused on authenticity, choosing real eighth graders for casting—including Fisher—who shaped both writing and directing choices. To research, he watched teenage YouTube content, where he also found Fisher. The film was made on a budget of $2 million over the course of one month in mid-2017, filming in Suffern, West Nyack, and White Plains, all located in New York.

Eighth Grade debuted at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, followed by a broad release in the United States through A24 on July 13. The MPAA rated it R. Rather than fight that rating, A24 and Burnham organized free screenings for all ages across all U.S. states so viewers could watch the intended audience.

The movie became both critically and financially successful, earning $14 million in domestic box office revenue. It received many accolades and nominations, including wins for Burnham at the Writers Guild and Directors Guild of America Awards. Fisher was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and won a Gotham Award for Breakthrough Actor. The National Board of Review and the American Film Institute both named Eighth Grade among the 10 best films of 2018, with the former also calling it the year's best first-time director effort.

Trailer

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Cast

Crew

Director: Bo Burnham
Writer: Bo Burnham
Producer: Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, Lila Yacoub, Christopher Storer
Cinematography: Andrew Wehde
Editing: Jennifer Lilly
Music: Anna Meredith

Details

Production: A24, IAC Films, Scott Rudin Productions
Distributor: A24
Budget: $2 million
Box office: $14.3 million

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