Requiem for Romance

DVDs and Limited Prints from the film available at:
http://jonjonphenomenon.com/2013/requiem-for-romance-dvds-prints/

And here is an uplifting story about how I learned to draw as a kid, entitled Asthma Tech:
http://jonjonphenomenon.com/2012/asthma-tech/

@JonNgAnimation
Facebook.com/RequiemForRomance

In this "crouching love, hidden breakup" story, inspired by 50's Shanghai water ink animation & kung fu films, themes of distance, tradition, art and longing dominate a telephonic conversation as a martial arts tango provides the visual backdrop.

Shannon Kook, star of Degrassi the Next Generation and The Conjuring, won the best voice performance at the ACTRA awards for his role on the film. Vid Cousins composed the music based on an original musical theme by Kid Koala.

The film won Best Art Direction Award at Anima Mundi, Best Canadian Shortwork at the Whistler Film Festival, AnimAsian award at the Toronto International Reel Asian Film Festival, Audience Choice Award at the Athens Animation Festival in upstate NY. It was nominated for prizes at Cristal Festival in Switzerland, Golden Reel award at LA Asian Pacific Film Festival. The film was Official Selection in Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film, Melbourne International Film Festival, Palm Springs International Shortfest and was presented as part of the Best of Quebec presentation in the Cannes Market in 2012.

Please add to Tip Jar or watch with ads on Film Annex to help me generate revenue for my next project:
http://www.filmannex.com/webtv/jonathanng/movie/requiem-for-romance/37528

Character info:
Tsai is a girl and Yun is her boyfriend.

[dial tone]

[dialing 10-digit phone number]

[phone ringing]

TSAI: Hello?

YUN: Hey Tsai

TSAI: Hi

YUN: Called you a bit earlier.

TSAI: Yeah... I was out with my family.

YUN: So what's up?
I was just thinking of you.

TSAI: Yun...

YUN: Yeah?

TSAI: I have something to tell you.

YUN: Ok.

YUN: What is it?

TSAI: ...It's too much.

TSAI: We have to stop seeing each other.

YUN: Tsai... what are you talking about?

TSAI: It's over.

TSAI: It's my parents! I can't face them!

YUN: You're kidding me, Tsai,
we've been through this before.

TSAI: They don't like you.

YUN: They barely even know me.

TSAI: They're never gonna change.

YUN: I think you're over-reacting here.

TSAI: No, I've made up my mind.
I'm sick of lying to them,

TSAI: I'm sick of feeling
guilty all the time.

YUN: Wait, how long have we been
together? And you do this over the phone?

TSAI: It's just easier that way.

YUN: Don't you owe it to me to tell me in
person?

TSAI: Mmm, I once dumped someone over
email, so I guess this is a step up.

YUN: Typical. You always take the easy
way out.

TSAI: Trust me, this isn't EASY for me.

YUN: Well, I'm not going to give up on us
just like that.

TSAI: Yes! You have to!

TSAI: Just... give up.

YUN: Man, you're parents are really
old-school!

TSAI: I know.

YUN: Not even my grandmother is as
old-school as your parents!

TSAI: Yeah, eh?

YUN: You and me, we have everything in
common.

YUN: Same jokes, same languages,
same culture.

YUN: I mean, why do your
parents have such a problem with me?

TSAI: You're an artist.

YUN: Yeah! And so are you.

TSAI: Exactly! Two artists can't be
together. We'll be poor.

YUN: That's not true. I'm actually doing
really well these days.

TSAI: Well, it's more than a money thing,
it's a respect thing.

YUN: Wait a second. Artists used to get
tons of respect in the old days.

YUN: They were up there with the scholars
in ancient Chinese society.

TSAI: Maybe, but that's not the way it is
now, so what's the point?

YUN: I...

YUN: I just...

YUN: things were going so
well between us...

TSAI: Yun,

TSAI: there's someone else.

YUN: What?!?

TSAI: My parents made me meet him.

YUN: No one makes you do anything, Tsai.

TSAI: He's a doctor, rich guy. He's 3
years older. They like him a lot.

YUN: God! What is your parent's obsession
with the number 3?

TSAI: Umm... I guess it's luckier than 4?

YUN: Yeah, that makes sense.

TSAI: Hmm.

YUN: And a doctor? I mean, how
predictable is that?

YUN: It's always either
a doctor or a lawyer.

TSAI: Actually, my parents think lawyers
are mean.

YUN: So... this is really happening?

TSAI: Yeah.

YUN: Tsai...

TSAI: Yeah?

YUN: Remember how we met?

TSAI: Mmmhmmm.

YUN: Well, if that wasn't meant to be,
then I don't know what is...I mean,

YUN: ...our lives crossed paths
before we ever met in person.

YUN: That's gotta count for something.

TSAI: It was really special, but...

TSAI: it wasn't meant to be.

YUN: You know, this situation, really
doesn't make sense to me.

YUN: We're two people who
are right for each other.

YUN: So, it should be simple;

YUN: should be a happy ending.

YUN: I don't know why this
has to be so...

YUN: difficult.

TSAI: Life doesn't always have a happy
ending.

YUN: Come on, you gotta stop watching
those Korean dramas;

YUN: they've brainwashed you.

TSAI: Hey, I like those Korean dramas.

YUN: Aww, man, it's always about
impossible love. So depressing.

YUN: And they always use
Pachelbel's Canon for everything.

TSAI: You're such a geek. Kung Fu movies
are exactly the same.

YUN: No way, at least they're willing to
stand up and fight.

TSAI: Yun, please,

TSAI: You have to stop.

TSAI: You have to let me go.

YUN: ...Ok

YUN: Hey Tsai?

TSAI: Yeah...

YUN: You think we can just, maybe talk,

YUN: I mean, the way we used to?

YUN: I really just called you 'cause I
wanted to hear how your day was...

TSAI: Yeah

TSAI: Ok.

TSAI: So...

TSAI: What are you doing right now?

YUN: I've just been laying here the whole
time.

TSAI: Do you want me to just stay on the
line?

YUN: Yeah,

YUN: that would be nice.

[soft music fades in]