Red Doors
Encyclopedia
Red Doors is a 2005 American film directed by Georgia Lee
. The independent film
features a Chinese American family.
Samantha (Jacqueline Kim), the eldest daughter, is a tough New York businesswoman engaged to a prominent young man (Jayce Bartok). Festering beneath her controlled surface, however, is a deep-rooted resentment for being pushed onto the straight and narrow path. As she nears her thirtieth birthday, Samantha begins to reevaluate her career and love life. When she runs into an old high school flame (Rossif Sutherland) during a visit to her hometown, Samantha is thrust into a soul-searching journey that compels her to reexamine how she has lived her life until now.
Julie (Elaine Kao), the shy middle sister, is a fourth-year medical student whose only social outlet is her weekly ballroom dance class. Julie has always been the quiet center of the Wong family storm. However, Julie’s world is turned upside down when she meets Mia Scarlett (Mia Riverton), a lesbian
movie star researching her next role at the hospital, who sets Julie’s heart aflame. While Julie grapples with the difficulties of dating a celebrity, she also tries to keep her own family from falling apart.
Katie (Kathy Shao-Lin Lee), the youngest sister, is a disaffected high school senior who engages in an elaborate prank war with Simon (Sebastian Stan), her longtime neighbor and nemesis. While the pranks start out innocuously, the incidents rapidly escalate to dangerous proportions until the two finally discover their own peculiar brand of emotional connection.
Before Ed disappears, he decides to re-visit his history through old VHS footage of the Wong family (the director’s own home video footage). The stark contrast between the happier past and the colder reality of the present compel Ed to leave home. Yet, while the Wongs may no longer be able to verbally express their feelings, Ed and the daughters learn to communicate again through the stories and images from the past.
The plot follows the stories of each member of the family.
Georgia Lee
Georgia Lee is an independent film director. Her work includes the 2006 film Red Doors.- Personal life :Lee was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to immigrants from Taiwan. She was raised primarily in Waterford, CT in the house that is featured in her film Red Doors. She received an A.B. in...
. The independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
features a Chinese American family.
Plot
Red Doors tells the story of the Wongs, a bizarrely dysfunctional Chinese-American family living in the New York suburbs. Ed Wong (Tzi Ma) has just retired and plots to escape his mundane life. However, the tumultuous, madcap lives of his three rebellious daughters change his plans.Samantha (Jacqueline Kim), the eldest daughter, is a tough New York businesswoman engaged to a prominent young man (Jayce Bartok). Festering beneath her controlled surface, however, is a deep-rooted resentment for being pushed onto the straight and narrow path. As she nears her thirtieth birthday, Samantha begins to reevaluate her career and love life. When she runs into an old high school flame (Rossif Sutherland) during a visit to her hometown, Samantha is thrust into a soul-searching journey that compels her to reexamine how she has lived her life until now.
Julie (Elaine Kao), the shy middle sister, is a fourth-year medical student whose only social outlet is her weekly ballroom dance class. Julie has always been the quiet center of the Wong family storm. However, Julie’s world is turned upside down when she meets Mia Scarlett (Mia Riverton), a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
movie star researching her next role at the hospital, who sets Julie’s heart aflame. While Julie grapples with the difficulties of dating a celebrity, she also tries to keep her own family from falling apart.
Katie (Kathy Shao-Lin Lee), the youngest sister, is a disaffected high school senior who engages in an elaborate prank war with Simon (Sebastian Stan), her longtime neighbor and nemesis. While the pranks start out innocuously, the incidents rapidly escalate to dangerous proportions until the two finally discover their own peculiar brand of emotional connection.
Before Ed disappears, he decides to re-visit his history through old VHS footage of the Wong family (the director’s own home video footage). The stark contrast between the happier past and the colder reality of the present compel Ed to leave home. Yet, while the Wongs may no longer be able to verbally express their feelings, Ed and the daughters learn to communicate again through the stories and images from the past.
The plot follows the stories of each member of the family.
Cast
- Jacqueline Kim as Samantha Wong. The oldest daughter, she is engaged to be married.
- Elaine KaoElaine Kao-Filmography:-External links:...
as Julie Wong, the middle daughter, a medical student - Kathy Shao-Lin Lee as Katie Wong. The youngest daughter, she is in her senior year of high school.
- Tzi MaTzi MaTzi Ma is a Chinese American actor who has made numerous appearances in American films and TV series.-Life and career:Ma was born in Hong Kong...
as Ed Wong, the suicidal father - Sebastian StanSebastian StanSebastian Stan is a Romanian-born American actor. He is best known for playing Prince Jack Benjamin on the television drama Kings and Carter Baizen on Gossip Girl.-Early life:...
as Simon. He is involved in prank war with Katie.* Freda Foh ShenFreda Foh ShenFreda Foh Shen is an Asian American theatre, film and television actress.In 1990 she played Carmen in Jean Genet's play The Balcony at the Hudson Guild Theater in New York....
as May-Li Wong, the mother - Jayce BartokJayce BartokJayce Bartok is an American actor. A young leading man with TV and film experience, Bartok had his best chance to date as Pony, the rock star who returns to his home town where his pals are waiting in Richard Linklater's subUrbia . He wrote, directed and produced the short film Stricken in 2005...
as Mark, Samantha's fiancé - Rossif SutherlandRossif SutherlandRossif Sutherland is a Canadian actor.Sutherland was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, the son of Canadian actors Donald Sutherland and Francine Racette, brother of actor Angus Sutherland, and half-brother of actor Kiefer Sutherland. He has appeared in films such as Timeline , and Red Doors...
as Alex, a musician, the ex-boyfriend of Samantha - Mia RivertonMia RivertonMia Riverton is an American film actress and producer. She was born Esther Tonia Riggin in Columbus, Ohio to Alice and Ralph Riggin. She grew up in Carmel, Indiana where she attended the Park Tudor School. She has a brother, Daniel. She was married in 2007 to David Alpert at a beach wedding in...
as Mia Scarlett, a TV and film actress who is dating Julie
Awards
- Best Narrative Feature Award in the NY, NY Competition at the Tribeca Film FestivalTribeca Film FestivalThe Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
, 2005 - Special Jury Award for Ensemble Acting at CineVegas
- Audience Award at OutfestOutfestOutfest is an LGBT-oriented film showcase and festival in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1982 as the "Gay and Lesbian Media Festival and Conference", the name was changed to Outfest in 1994.-Programs:...
- Grand Jury Award for Screenwriting at Outfest
External links
- Red Doors profile on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Red Doors on the Red Carpet, UCLA Asia Institute, includes transcript with actors
- Review of Red Doors, AfterEllen.com