Bing, Zack and Keire are growing up in the heart of the American Rust Belt. Those who spend their childhood here are generally faced with a future of unemployment, poverty, addiction and violence. The three friends find an outlet in skateboarding. One of them, Bing Liu, films all of their adventures and records how they are inevitably forced into becoming adults: to find work, a steady relationship, have children… Years later, he returns to his hometown to find out what happened to his friends.
At the age of eight, Bing Liu and his mother relocated from China to Alabama and from Alabama to California. They eventually settled in Rockford, Illinois. He received his first camera at the age of fourteen and used it to film his friends during skateboarding. Bing Liu taught himself the tricks of the trade, as well as editing skills. Later on, he studied at the University of Illinois where he also worked as a production assistant. Minding The Gap was only his first documentary, already earning him an Oscar nomination. Him being one of the main characters adds to the documentary’s unique nature. He addresses his childhood trauma and interviews his mother about the domestic violence he endured as a teenager.