No bones about it: xenophobia is a major scourge of the human race. A fierce champion of independence and humanity, director Yu Irie (8000 Miles, NYAFF 2010) has made an anti-racism film that is as sneakily subversive as its old-school superspy namesake. Set in a small town where corruption in the service of an immigrants-ousting campaign runs rampant and ruthless, the unsuspecting protagonist is a mousy young woman who works for the local government. Suddenly endowed with a family secret, she finds herself throwing fantastical and hilarious monkey wrenches into the efforts of the area’s racist consortium. This clarion call for righteousness is charmingly quirky and surprisingly touching in its clever indictment of cruelty and ignorance. A masterful blend of high- and low-concept stylings, Ninja Girl is as much a pointed political satire as it is a singular coming-of-adulthood tale—one that’s both inspiring and resonant.