New Voice Production
PRESENTS
FRONT
COVER
A FILM BY
Ray Yeung
INTERNATIONAL SALES
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Fax: (852) 2311 8023
E-mail: info@fortissimo-hk.com
www.fortissimofilms.com
FRONT COVER
by Ray Yeung
USA / 2015 / 87 minutes / English, Cantonese / Dramatic Comedy
Film Specs:
Production Country: USA
Year: 2015
Language: English
Genre: Dramatic Comedy
Subtitle Language: English
Format: HD 1020 x 1080 Apple Pro Resolution 444
Running Time: 87 MINS
Color/Bw: COLOR
Aspect Ratio: 1920 x 1080, 16 x 9
Frame Rate: 23.98
Sound Ratio: 5.1
Originally Shot on: Alexa
Crew:
Writer/Director
Producer
Co_Producer
Editor
Casting Director
Cinematographer
Production Designer
Composers
Ray Yeung
Kaer Vanice
Chowee Leow
Joseph Gutowski
Donna Deseta
Eun-ah Lee
Kate Rance
Paul Turner & Darren Morze
Copy Right Notice: ©2014 New Voice Production, Inc. All rights reserved.
Cast:
Jake Choi
James Chen
Jennifer Neala Page
Elizabeth Sung
Sonia Villani
Li Jun Li
Ming Lee
as
as
as
as
as
as
as
Ryan Fu
Qi Xiao Ning
Janet
Yen
Francesca
Miao
Ba
Logline/tagline:
Ryan, a gay Chinese American fashion stylist, who detests and rejects his cultural heritage, is given
an assignment to style Ning, an actor from Beijing for a photo shoot. After a rocky start, an unlikely
friendship develops between them.
Short Synopsis:
Front Cover tells the story of Ryan Fu, a gay Chinese American who rejects his Asian heritage and
has learnt to suppress it to climb up the social ladder. Through talent and hard work he has attained
his dream job as an assistant to Francesca, a celebrity fashion stylist.
One day Francesca assigns Ryan to style Ning, an actor who has just arrived from Beijing, for a top
magazine photo shoot. Ning dismisses Ryan’s initial Western styling and demands Ryan creates an
image for him which represents the power of the new China. Their opinions clash resulting in a
strained working relationship.
Over the following days, they socialize whilst working together and discover not only do they share
a lot in common, a mutual attraction begins to develop. As they get closer Ryan reveals that he
detests his Chinese heritage because he is ashamed of his impoverished upbringing. Ning also opens
up and confesses that he is closeted.
As they fall in love, a Chinese tabloid magazine exposes Ning as gay. Terrified of the impact it will
have on his career, Ning begs Ryan to lie for him at a press conference. Ryan must now decide
whether to help Ning or stay true to himself.
Long Synopsis:
RYAN FU (29), an ambitious gay fashion stylist was born and raised in Chinatown, Manhattan,
where his parents are low-income immigrants. In order to climb up the social ladder, Ryan has
learned to suppress what he sees as his detestable Chinese heritage. Through talent and hard work
he has achieved his dream job as an assistant to FRANCESCA (45), a celebrity fashion stylist.
One day Francesca assigns Ryan to style an up and coming actor who has just arrived from Beijing
for a top magazine photo shoot. Ryan decides to dress the actor NING (32) in classic American
preppy attire. Ning rejects his proposition and demands Ryan creates an image for him which he
feels represents the power of the new China. Their egos and opinions clash resulting in a strained
and difficult working relationship.
On the day of the photo shoot, GUS (55) a famous but tyrannical fashion photographer belittles
Ryan in front of the whole crew. Ning stands up to him on Ryan’s behalf. Gus refuses to back off
and at the boiling point Ryan and Ning storm out of the photo shoot. Francesca calls and fires
Ryan. Devastated, Ryan invites Ning home and they get drunk together. They bond that night and
an unlikely connection develops.
The next day Ryan’s parents show up unexpectedly and they insist Ning joins them to visit Ryan’s
grandmother. They spend a beautiful day out together. Ryan opens up to Ning, and reveals that he
detests his Chinese heritage due to a deep insecurity of his impoverished upbringing.
Later that evening, Ryan and Ning go out partying at Manhattan’s trendy bars. They have a
wonderful time filled with flirtation and drunken reverie. At the end of the night they find an
attraction to each other and Ning confesses that he too is gay. They kiss and eventually make love.
Ning encourages Ryan to join him and work in China. Ryan weighs up that tantalizing option as he
realizes he is falling for Ning. For the first time, Ryan feels proud to be of Chinese descent. As
Ryan considers the possibility of moving to China with Ning, a tabloid magazine exposes Ning as
gay. Terrified of the impact it will have on his career and his family’s reaction, Ning summons his
girlfriend to come from China and begs Ryan to lie for him at a press conference. Ryan must now
decide whether he should help Ning by lying to the press and sacrificing his values or ‘out’ him and
stay true to himself.
About the Director:
DIRECTOR BIO:
Ray Yeung’s first feature film, CUT SLEEVE BOYS premiered at the Rotterdam International Film
Festival and won Best Feature at the Outfest Fusion Festival in Los Angeles.
CUT SLEEVE BOYS also had cinematic releases in Thailand, Taiwan and in various cities across
the United States including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago.
Time Out, New York reviewed CUT SLEEVE BOYS as a “fun, rare look at Gay Asian life with
refreshing insights into various queer subtleties, from the difference between cross-dressing and
trans to the details of being a circuit queen.”
Ray Yeung, a Columbia University MFA graduate, is also the chairman of the Hong Kong Lesbian
and Gay Film Festival since 2000.
FRONT COVER is Ray’s second feature.
Director’s selected filmography:
2014
2012
2011
2008
2006
1998
PAPER WRAP FIRE (SHORT)
ENTWINE (SHORT)
DEREK AND LUCAS (SHORT)
DOGGY..DOGGY (SHORT)
CUT SLEEVE BOYS (FEATURE)
YELLOW FEVER (SHORT)
Director’s Statement:
This is a bittersweet dramatic comedy, which looks at the Asian American experience with humour,
irony and insight. Thematically the film is about desire for acceptance, and how the lack of it can
risk developing into denial and self-loathing. The two main characters are the driving force of the
story. Their dynamic relationship rests on the contrast between their differing attitudes and
experiences. However, FRONT COVER is predominantly a love story about two men, who despite
their differences and prejudices, fall in love in New York.
Cast Biography:
JAKE CHOI (Ryan)
Jake Choi is an American actor born and raised in Queens, NY. He studied at the Lee Strasberg
Institute and has been performing throughout NYC on stage, film, TV and national commercials.
His first leading role in a feature film is that of Ryan from "Front Cover. Jake is very proud of his
work as Mark in Off-Broadway’s "Carnival Kids" which was a NY Times Critic's Choice. You may
also recognize Jake in a Best Buy commercial where he worked with TV star, Amy Poehler.
Television work has led him to roles in various TV series such as Law & Order: SVU on NBC,
Gotham on FOX, Golden Boy and Unforgettable on CBS. Jake loves basketball and plays a few
games in his free time. Keep up with Jake at www.jakechoi.com.
JAMES CHEN (Ning)
James grew up in New York state, and attended UPENN and Yale before living and working as an
actor in NYC, where he quickly began working in Off Broadway theater, TV, film, commercials,
and audiobooks. For 2 seasons he played CSU Detective Adrian Sung on Law & Order: SVU, and
has worked opposite artists such as Kate Winslet, Jim Carey, and Tilda Swinton in international
studio films including The Amazing Spiderman, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Labor Day, and We Need
To Talk About Kevin. Regionally some of the wonderful theaters he has worked at are the
Chautauqua Theater Company, The Guthrie Theater, and the Philadelphia Theater Company. Of
his dozen plus narrated audiobooks, some of his favorite titles include "Prayer of the Dragon" and
"Death and Resurrection” which can be found at audible.com. As an upcoming writer and
filmmaker his latest short, The Swap, has already been accepted into festivals and continues to be
submitted to the circuit. He has received an MFA Acting Yale School of Drama, Dexter Wood
Luke Memorial Prize. Follow @JamesCchen. www.JamesCchen.com.
ELIZABETH SUNG (Yen)
Raised in Hong Kong, Elizabeth holds a BFA in dance from The Juilliard School and was a
member of the Alvin Ailey Repertory Dance Company. She moved to Los Angeles where she
studied acting with renowned teachers Sanford Meisner and Milton Katselas. She received her
MFA in directing from the American Film Institute and was one of three women selected for the
prestigious ABC/DGA Television Directing Fellowship. Her memorable film appearances include
“The Joy Luck Club”, “Memoirs of a Geisha”, “Ping Pong Playa” and “Go For Sisters” among
many others. On television, Elizabeth starred as Luan Volien Abbott on the popular daytime soap,
“The Young and The Restless”. She has also guest starred on “Shameless”, “It’s Always Sunny in
Philadelphia”, “Hawaii Five-0”, “Bones”, “ NCIS - LA”, “FlashForward”, “The Forgotten”
“Desperate Housewives”, “House”, “The Sopranos”, “NYPD Blue”, “Mike and Molly”, “Curb
Your Enthusiasm” and “Suite Life on Deck, to list a few. Elizabeth received the Best Supporting
Actress Award at both the 2013 Asians on Films Festival and the 9th Annual Chinese American
Film festival.
JENNIFER NEALA- PAGE (Janet)
Jennifer was trained at Rose Bruford Conservatory of Speech and Drama (voted best UK drama
school of 2014.). Her Theatre credits include; "Dancing At Lughnasa," "The Miss Firecracker
Contest," and Neil Labute's "Bash" (Won a Golden Production Award). In 2010 she was cast in the
West End revival of the Really Useful Company and Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Daisy Pulls It Off"
at The Arts Theatre, to critical praise. Her previous TV and film credits include: "The World Of
Holly Woodlands," the Web Series "TVK" , short film "White Trash Swan", "Love Is" (which
reached the final of the Hollywood Film Festival), and Mary Shelley in the series "Living With
Frankenstein." Most recently she was seen in the role of "Winn Manchester" in PT Anderson's
film "The Master" opposite Joaquin Phoenix and Claudia in "Chimeras" with Kevin J O'Conner and
Michael Ironside. She is also in a European project with Kevin Bacon, which is currently airing in
the UK.
SONIA VILLANI (Francesca)
Sonia is an Italian actress and tango dancer. She studied acting in Rome and worked there until
2012 when she happily relocated in NYC. As an actor her favorite NYC credits include: Lying
and Eurydice’s Dream (for this show she’s been honored with 2013 IT Award for Choreography),
Blessed Unrest (Interart Theater), The Event Of A Thread with Ann Hamilton and SITI Company
(Park Avenue Armory).
In Italy as a tango dancer her original work with her company Tango di Pietra has been produced
and toured all over the country, credits include: Alizé En Danse (Teatro Eliseo, Rome) and Bel
Vedere, (Santarcangelo dei Teatri Festival, Italy). http://www.soniavillani.com
MING LEE (Ba)
MING LEE is an actor of stage and screen , a jazz singer and songwriter . He was born in Malaysia
of Chinese descent. His film and TV work includes: Return To Paradise, Kundun, Foreign Ghosts,
Canvas, February, Closing Time and Law and Order-SVU. He has done work in the UK, Canada,
Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, and was on Broadway : Miss Saigon, Pacific Overtures. His
songs , an eclectic mix of jazz and pop , are featured in his debut CD , Slow Time, No Time. He
lives in NY.
About the Production company:
New Voice Production, Inc. is a film company based in New York City. The company aims to
produce high quality films, which raise the profile of Asian Americans, as well as challenge
prejudices and stereotyping. The company promotes cultural exchange between Eastern and
Western viewpoints through unique, creative and thought-provoking stories.
Production company contacts:
New Voice Productions
181 7th Avenue #12C
New York, NY 10011
Ray Yeung
feverray@gmail.com
1 646 379 4485
www.fortissimofilms.com
HEAD OFFICE
Van Diemenstraat 100
1013 CN Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 20 627 3215
Fax: +31 20 626 1155
E-mail: info@fortissimo.nl
ASIA OFFICE
Unit A, 26/F., CKK Commercial Centre
289-295 Hennessy Road
Wanchai, Hong Kong, S.A.R.
Phone: (852) 2311 8081
Fax: (852) 2311 8023
E-mail: info@fortissimo-hk.com