La Bohème: A New York Love Song 2022
Feature Film, 01:35:31
Screen adaptation and direction.
Set in current-day New York, I adapted and directed this well-known classical opera to focus specifically on Asian, Asian-American, and BIPOC youth and their experiences to create a subplot of immigration, assimilation, and racism, paralleling the rise in Asian hate crimes during the hight of the pandemic. This new interpretation comments upon and highlights the racism and unjust treatment towards the AAPI community during the Covid pandemic.
Commercial run in Japan, October 2024, Toho Cinema
Premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival
Produced by; Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Omaha, More than Musical, and Tri-Cities Opera.
Selected Press
-Ahi Choi, “Revived Classics”, Hong Kong Vogue
-Ken Smith, “The ex-Goldman Sachs banker who turned “La Boheme” into a movie”, Nikkei Asia
-Carlos Escueta, “La Bohème film, set in New York with Chinese leads, modernizes Puccini’s opera”, South China Morning Post
-Tara Sobti, “Film Adaptation of Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème”, Tatler
Cast
Ziwen Xiang // Rodolfo
Bizhou Chang // Mimi
Luis Orozco // Marcello
Larisa Martinez // Musetta
Markel Reed // Schaunard
Hidenori Inoue // Colline
Yi Yang // Alcindoro
Anthony Roth Costanzo // Parpignol
Nene L.A. Shiro // Friend of Parpignol
Jasmin Rice // Friend of Parpignol
Jess Davis // Woman in Chinatown
Benjamin Forester // Motorcycle Stunt Double
Production
Adapted and Directed // Laine Rettmer
Executive Producer // Julia Noulin-Mérat
Conductor and Musical Director // Sean Kelly
Director of Photography // Alice Millar
Editor // Andrea Merkx
Lighting Design // Rome Petersson
Costume Design // Teresa Logan
Sound Supervisor // Mike Flannery
Production Design // Tim Ferro
Associate Director and Visual Effects // Nuozhou Wang
Associate Director and Dramaturg //Bruno Baker
Assistant Director // Charlie Dennis