Open Casting Call for Chinese American Actors

Casting Chinese American non-union actors in GWADA, a short film directed by Kathy Meng. Shooting in Guadeloupe, January 2027 - travel and housing provided.

Storyline: On Christmas Day in Guadeloupe, a young Chinese American woman estranged from her mother finds unexpected warmth and connection.

Project Name: GWADA
Project Type: Short Film
Shoot Dates: JANUARY 2027
Shoot Location: Guadeloupe
NON-UNION
Rate of Pay: $400/day for 3-4 shoot days, $250/day for 2-3 rehearsal days. Travel to Guadeloupe and housing included.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION

ASH WEI - Female, Chinese-American, 22-30. A young woman adrift, trying to find her place in the world. Independent, adventurous, athletic, and contemplative. Underneath her tough exterior, she longs for real intimacy and acceptance. A freelance translator in New York, who has spent recent years moving between countries, working remotely, and clinging to her freedom. Estranged from her mother following a traumatic event in her childhood. Fluent English, conversational Mandarin required. Actors of all gender identities are encouraged to submit.

About the Filmmaker: Kathy Meng is a Chinese-American filmmaker who holds a BFA from New York University. She draws upon her childhood in Beijing and Massachusetts to tell multicultural stories.

Her work has screened at Davey Fest, Asian American International Film Festival, CAAMFest, RiverRun, Maryland, Twin Cities, Fort Lauderdale, and DC Shorts, where Elite Match (2022) won the Audience Award. Her first short Nanny (2016) was a Fusion Film Festival finalist; My Boyfriend’s Daughter (2019) was distributed by ShortsTV. Willow and Wu (2024) won Best Screenplay at Brooklyn Film Festival, Best Short at Katra Film Series, Audience Award at Leiden International Film Festival, Rising Star Award at Naples International Film Festival, and Grand Jury Award at Sherman Oaks Film Festival.

Meng received the Women’s Fund Grant from New York Foundation for the Arts. Her professional experience spans festival programming for Tribeca, Hamptons, and DOC NYC, on-set work for TV and feature films directed by Ira Sachs, Terence Nance, and Bing Liu, and internships at A24 and The Weinstein Company.

Requirements

All levels of acting experience are encouraged to apply! Fluent English, conversational Mandarin required.

Application Instructions

TO SUBMIT:
Please send the following to ellie.zambarano@gmail.com ASAP:
-Name:
-Height:
-City you live in:
-Phone #:
-Confirm you are non-union
-Do you speak Mandarin? If so, what is your proficiency level?
-Do you have an active passport?
-Two Recent Photos (one full body, one close-up). Photos that show your own personal style are encouraged.
-Please use the subject line “GWADA - ASH"