027: dìdi (弟弟), bruno the rescue cat, & learning to accept love

This week, Nins & Arns explore two powerful stories about growing up, being misunderstood, and the transformative power of love. Arns revisits Dìdi (弟弟), Sean Wang's award-winning coming-of-age film set in Fremont, California during the early days of MySpace, AIM, and YouTube. Through the eyes of a Taiwanese American teenager desperately trying to fit in, Dìdi captures the awkwardness of adolescence, immigrant family dynamics, parental sacrifice, and the realization that our parents may have been loving us all along in ways we didn't recognize. Nins shares the story of Bruno, a shelter cat labeled "aggressive" and at risk of euthanasia, whose life is transformed by the patience, compassion, and unwavering care of Grace Choi and The Happy Kitty Rescue. As Bruno slowly learns to trust and accept love, his journey becomes a moving reminder that healing is rarely linear—and that sometimes all we need is someone willing to stay. Together, these stories spark a conversation about Asian American identity, childhood embarrassment, family relationships, emotional healing, trust, rescue animals, compassion, and the people who love us through our hardest moments. Content warning: family conflict, emotional neglect, animal euthanasia discussions, trauma, abandonment, and difficult parent-child relationships. 0:00 - Intro 2:53 - Arns: Dìdi (弟弟) 24:54 - Nins: cat rescue Bruno 52:24 - Outro Referenced in this episode: Dìdi (弟弟) "Filmmaker Interview: Sean Wang, writer/director of DÌDI (弟弟)" by Colin McCormack for SAGIndie ~ The Happy Kitty Rescue’s main website Grace Choi’s instagram & tiktok @kittyboyandfriends Day 1 with Bruno Day 8 with Bruno Day 19 with Bruno Day 20 with Bruno Grace Choi's interview with cat brand Smalls Join the brb crying community—a heartfelt, cozy comedy podcast about friendship, vulnerability, emotional storytelling, and all the movies, books, music, and life experiences that leave us in tears. Follow us: » Instagram: @brbcrying.podcast » TikTok: @brbcrying.podcast » YouTube: @brbcrying.podcast Want episode recaps, behind-the-scenes/community updates, and occasional emotional damage delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter at brbcryingpodcast.com. Have a sob story or cry recommendation that absolutely wrecked you? We'd love to be wrecked, too. Submit your story at brbcryingpodcast.com or email us at [email protected]. brb crying—hosted by longtime best friends Nins & Arns—is a podcast where we explore the songs, books, TV shows, films, pop culture moments, and personal stories that help us laugh, cry, heal, and feel a little less alone. Crying is our superpower, and by sharing what makes us cry in a way that makes us laugh, we show how crying helps us connect with ourselves and each other.