‘FIRSTS’
NEW ZEALAND FILM COMMISSION FUNDED SHORT
CASTING CALL: APRIL 6TH - MAY 30TH
TENTATIVE SHOOT DATES: 6TH & 7TH JUNE, AUCKLAND, NZ
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SYNOPSIS
FIRSTS is a drama short film about a closeted Chinese international student named Steven, who must confront the disparity between his parents’ expectations and his own desires after deciding to lose his virginity to a stranger, Andrew, he met online.
JESSE UNG ON SET OF HIS AWARD WINNING ‘GRIND’
DIRECTOR
Jesse Ung is a twenty-two-year-old New Zealand born Cambodian writer/director and a recent graduate from Auckland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Communication Studies majoring in Television and Screen production. To date, he has written and directed three narrative short films – most notably Grind which he won the Platinum award for Best Student Director at the Independent Shorts Awards in Los Angeles. He has also produced and edited three short documentaries.
In 2018, he was selected for mentorship on his feature film screenplay titled Futile Devices by Proudly Asian Theatre for New Asian Writer’s Night. In 2019, he was selected for an internship with Annapurna IMR at the Berlinale European Film Market by Creative Minds.
CASTING INFORMATION
Ages are an approximation only and both roles are open to those 18 and over.
All roles are paid.
Non-actors and those based outside of Auckland are welcome to apply.
Till the end of Lockdown we are only accepting Self-tapes.
Submit ONLY in the form at the bottom of the page.
IMPORTANT: This film contains scenes of intimacy between the two men (simulated sex) and non-explicit nudity. An intimacy co-ordinator will be utilised on this production to carefully supervise the rehearsal and shoot. For the roles of Steven and Andrew, please only apply if you are prepared to engage in the intimate scenes.
ROLES BEING CAST
STEVEN/CHEUNG
M, 21, Some spoken Cantonese or Mandarin an advantage but not essential. Includes Intimacy Scene.
Sweet, proper. Steven was born in China but has lived and studied in New Zealand for a few years now, but still feels like an outsider. He is also deeply in the closet, and in his time away from home, has constructed an imaginary girlfriend to placate his mother’s nagging. Steven is torn between wanting to do his mother proud, honouring his deceased father, and being true to himself – which contradicts his eastern culture’s collectivist values. He’s the model son, who fears he is betraying everything he knows by indulging in his desire to be with another man – and the consequences that will follow.
ANDREW
M, 27, No Cantonese or Mandarin needed. Includes Intimacy Scene.
Confident but not cocky. Andrew is NZ-born Chinese, a little world weary and all too familiar with loneliness. Having came out to his very traditional Chinese parents years ago, he has been estranged from them and the rest of his family ever since. He doesn’t socialise beyond fleeting and frequent hook-ups with random guys who he has nothing in common with. He goes into his hook-up with Steven expecting it to be like all the others, only to be surprised by how much they have in common and forces Andrew to acknowledge just how starved for connection he really is.
MING [STEVEN’S MOTHER]
F 40-50, must speak Cantonese or Mandarin.
Ming is widowed and living on her own back in China while her son is studying half-way across the world in New Zealand. She was instrumental in encouraging Cheung to study in a Western country and Ming worries for her son more than anything – wanting him to study hard and succeed so that he may honour his father. Since the death of her husband, and even long before that, Ming has struggled to communicate her love for her son – which is even harder through the short, infrequent video calls they share miles apart.