'Bojack Horseman' writer's coming-of-age film from Apple TV+ reveals a Muslim teen caught between two worlds

One of the strongest independent movies to emerge from Chicago in recent memory is "Hala," which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, where it was picked up by Apple TV+.

The story centers on a high school senior named Hala Masood, who is navigating the tension between her role as the daughter of traditional-minded Muslim Pakistani immigrants and her life as a teenager with romantic and sexual interests, particularly in a certain tousled-hair classmate she sees while skateboarding. The film opens in theaters next week and will be available on Apple's streaming service starting Dec. 6.

Writer-director Minhal Baig (whose TV credits include Netflix's "BoJack Horseman" and Hulu's "Ramy") is emphatic that the movie - set in and filmed in Rogers Park, where Baig grew up - is not autobiographical. But the story's themes are pulled from her own life.

Executive producer Jada Pinkett Smith was instrumental