Red Doors

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The Red Door is an American 2005 independent film written and directed by Georgia Lee. Inspired by the family of the director himself, the film tells the story of the age of the Chinese American family. Red Doors is Lee's first feature film. Early concepts won the Jerome Foundation's New York Media Arts Grant Award, and later won the award of the best narrative feature at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival. Georgia Lee produced the films with Jane Chen and Mia Riverton and co-produceror John Fiorelli.

Video Red Doors

Plot

The Red Door tells the story of Wong, a Chinese-American family in a suburb of New York City. While the movie title refers to the red door of Wong's house in New York, the red door is said to bring good luck. Throughout the film, the red door is a sign of luck for the many struggles that the Wong have to face.

After retirement, Ed Wong (Tzi Ma) plans to escape from his life in the suburbs, but his daughter has other plans.

Samantha (Jacqueline Kim) is Wong's eldest daughter. He is a businessman in New York and is engaged to Mark (Jayce Bartok). When faced with his thirtieth birthday, Samantha meets Alex (Rossif Sutherland) who forces him to reevaluate his career and love life.

Julie (Elaine Kao) is the shy sister of Wong. He is a fourth year medical student who enjoys a ballroom class. Always quiet and family center, Julies begins to question her choice of life when she meets Mia Scarlett (Mia Riverton).

Katie (Kathy Shao-Lin Lee) is Wong's younger sister. In his final year of high school, Katie was involved in a frenzy with Simon (Sebastian Stan). As the film continues, the turmoil rises between neighbors and old enemies.

Before disappearing, Ed decides to revive his family history through VHS recordings. Between the happy past and cold reality, Ed feels better to leave the house. While Wong each face their own struggle, the family learns to communicate again through stories and past images.

Maps Red Doors

Cast

Jacqueline Kim as Samantha Wong. The eldest daughter is engaged to Mark.
Elaine Kao as Julie Wong, middle daughter and medical student.
Kathy Shao-Lin Lee as Katie Wong, the youngest daughter and senior in high school.
Tzi Ma as Ed Wong, the father committed suicide.
Sebastian Stan as Simon, engaging in a fantasy war with Katie.
Freda Foh Shen as May-Li Wong, the mother.
Jayce Bartok as Mark, Samantha's fiancÃ©.
Rossif Sutherland as Alex, a musician and ex-girlfriend Samantha.
Mia Riverton as Mia Scarlett, a TV and TV actress dating Julie.

Production

Lee, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native and the eldest of three brothers, wrote and produced his first feature film in 2005. Although Red Doors is Lee's first full length film, his first short film is called The Big Dish produced when taking a film class on NYU. Lee stated that the movie Red Doors benefited from the various aspects shown in all the short films he produced. The film was produced independently by Georgia Lee because a Hollywood producer wanted to make the Wong family a Caucasian for commercial purposes. To produce a film independent of ordinary Hollywood production, Lee formed Blanc de Chine, a production company that he would run on his own and with the help of a college buddy. When asked why the film is important to him, Lee declares that the story begins as his own, but when creating the script, he is more interested in the backstory and how to capture a unique time period in family dynamics. Lee further stated that he was interested in correcting some of the typical Asian American stereotypes usually portrayed in the film. Also, to combine a mixture of facts vs. fiction, the homevideos that can be seen in this movie are actual videos shot by Lee's dad as he grows up. The videos were included because of the minimal budget to be done by the film, and the lack of funds needed to re-record such scenes.

Reviews

In 2006, Thelma Adams of Us Weekly stated that "Lee painted a rich and cute portrait of a family that was funny and gentle." He went on to state that although the film depicts an honest picture, the performances made by the people in the film are not comparable compared to the performances played by the movie actress from "the story of the winning sister."
In 2005 Sheri Linden from The Hollywood Reporter stated that "Lee's comedy drama is very touching but never silent, without exaggeration in words or melodrama, Lee shows a definite feeling for the family dynamics. "
Elizabeth Weitzman, of the New York Daily News, stated that "There's enough love and insight to make Lee's next movie worth watching."
Ty Burr, of The Boston Globe , states "Think of Red Doors as a promise, and hopes Georgia Lee defends it."
Janet Hanson, from The Wall Street Journal, stated "This is a very funny and wonderful movie revealing about an Asian family living in the US and dealing with the world colliding with their traditional heritage and their reality the choices they have to make as individuals, as family members and as Asian Americans are sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking - and ultimately define their own characters, filmmakers and those who watch movies. "
Las Vegas Weekly calls the movie "captivating, honest and wholehearted" while The New York Times calls it, "Unique and yet universal."
Logan Hill, from NewYorkMetro.com, stated "Georgia Lee's understated family drama of the American Chinese family in the New York burbs, is a closely watched debut."

Awards

The Best Narrative Feature Award in NY, NY Competition at the Tribeca Film Festival, 2005
Special Jury Award for Ensemble Act on CineVegas
The Audience Award at Outfest
Grand Jury Award for Screenwriting in Outfest
Georgia Lee has been a judge for the Sundance Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival