Casting Rutgers Thesis Film

Casting Please Call Me Back, a student short film about a desperate mother who, after getting a call for help from her estranged son, reflects on their relationship while grappling with the pressure to save him.

Production states: “At its surface, this is a film about a scam call and an exploration into the emotions that arise from hearing a loved one is in danger. At its core, it is a film about changing relationships and the way familial connections shift over time. Through this story, I am exploring the dynamics of a parent-child relationship and the specificity of growing up in an Asian household.”

• Film will be screened at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in New Brunswick, NJ in April 2025, for Rutgers University’s BFA Filmmaking Senior Showcase.
• Rehearsals late fall/early winter (exact dates TBD); shoots in January 25-26 & February 1-2 in Ewing, NJ.
• Unpaid opportunity. Meals and snacks will be provided. Will be given final film.

Roles

• Margaret Lan (60-70s) is a put-together Chinese woman. She has worked very hard in order to achieve a very specific life that she has envisioned for her son, Joshua. She is steadfast in her beliefs and has imposed many of that in her parenting. Her ideal life was never realized and for that she holds a lot regret regarding it, both for the fact things didn’t turn out the way she wanted and in the way that her actions pushed her son away from her. Margaret doesn’t like change and is constantly thinking back to how things used to be. She is trapped in the past, which was a time in which she felt more in control of her life and what it could be.
• Margaret (40-55) is a firm and confident woman. She has put all of her effort and attention into giving Joshua a good life. She often makes choices for Joshua because she knows what is best for him. She holds Joshua to high standards and as such will be firm with him about what is wrong or right. She speaks in a blunt manner and will always say things as they are. She is a very controlled woman and doesn’t show her emotions in an outward manner. She loves her son dearly, but isn’t one to show it through physical acts or words of affection.

• Margaret (25-35) is a new mother who is still trying to figure out what she is doing. Her husband works far away and spends most of the time out of the house and as such the parenting responsibilities fall onto her. She wants to do what is best for her son, but struggles with what is the right choice to make. She is heavily concerned about her son’s future and puts a lot of pressure on herself as his mom to do him right. She is often frazzled and overwhelmed with everything going on, but tries her best to remain in control for Joshua’s sake.

• Joshua Lan (40s) is a self-assured man. After dropping out of med-school, he found his calling as an architect while in Europe and has lived a happy life doing the things he likes. He hasn’t seen his mother since he left for Europe. He misses her but has never gone out of his way to reach out to her again. He still thinks that she resents him for his decisions and doesn’t want him around. He doesn’t try to reach out to her because he worries that she will be disappointed in the person that he has become and just push him even farther away. He often thinks about her though and hopes that she is alright.

• Joshua (18-28) is a recent medical school dropout. After studying and working towards med school for so long, he has come to the realization that becoming a doctor isn’t what he wants from his life. He wants to do something that will make him happy, which he hasn’t yet figured out what that is but he’s working on it. He is worried about what will come in the future, but also excited for the chance to do what he wants to do. He is concerned about his mother’s opinion on his decision but is firm regarding his choice to leave med school and make his own decisions about his life. Joshua desperately wants to make his mother proud. He knows that Margaret has high expectations and pushes himself to be the person she wants him to be. He is harsh on himself whenever he messes up and often feels as if he is letting down his mother. He goes along with what his mom tells him to do because he trusts her advice and opinions.

• Joshua (6-12) is a young shy boy who keeps his emotions bottled up. He doesn’t know how to properly express what he is feeling and often hides away when faced with problems. He would much rather keep things to himself than share his thoughts or emotions with anyone including his mother. He respects his mother and listens to her most of the time.

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