2017 Angel Film Awards - Monaco International Film Festival angel awards

THE ANGEL FILM AWARDS HONORING SCREENPLAY WRITERS




IN OFFICIAL SELECTION "ANCHOR BABY" (US) WRITTEN BY RAN JING

BIO:

Ran Jing born and raised in Beijing, at age 17 Ran moved to Canada to pursue her dream in filmmaking. She first attended University of British Columbia where she studied psychology and English literature, and later transferred to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where she earned her BFA in directing.

After graduation, fueled by passion and curiosity for the industry, she broke into the feature animation industry as a story artists. Through successful feature films such as Peanuts, Book of Life and the Ice Age franchise, she has worked closely with award-winning directors and producers including Jorge R. Gutierrez, Aron Warner, and Carlos Saldana. Outside of work, Ran continues to pursue her vision through personal projects. Her 2017 short film Fish Stew just started its festival run and has already been selected by multiple international film festivals. She’s been invited as guest lecturers in story classes at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts as well as the School of Visual Arts. In addition, she’s been serving as a judge for the Emmys, Northwest Animation Festival as well as ASIFA East. Ran is currently developing her first feature film, Anchor Baby. The script has been recently recognized by 2017 BlueCat Screenplay competition (quarterfinalist, top 5%).

"ANCHOR BABY" 'A Feature Screenplay' WRITTEN BY RAN JING (USA)

LOGLINE: (Genre: Drama, Coming of Age, Family Drama)

An aspiring Chinese architect uses her little brother's illness to get an American visa and must learn to value her family along the way.

STORY OUTLINE:

This story is about Lu. Lu is a credible, positive, nuanced female character who’s always looking for a solution. However, her strength is also her biggest weakness. She’s too stubborn. She forms strong opinions, and lives by them at all costs. We meet Lu when she’s about to lose control of the only element in her life she thought she can control: her job. Her student visa has expired, and will not last through her internship at her dream company: Greyson Designs – an architecture firm. And then, when it seems things can’t get worse, her estranged father reaches out with a request: can Lu care for Cody, her 5-year-old step- brother (a stranger to Lu)? Cody has been diagnosed with Hepatitis C, and can receive much better treatment in the U.S., than in China where he lives with Lu’s father and step-mom.

The situation that Lu finds herself in is well balanced between her career prospects and family obligations. The urgency and importance of helping Cody to get his treatment and the necessity of taking him in to obtain a visa for the internship build on each other dramatically, with Cody's young age and the intensity of the internship effectively complicating the situation. Though it’s a role she falls into a bit awkwardly at first, Lu gradually discovers her capacity to shine as an older sister, demonstrating maturity and getting in touch with her maternal side.

The film is a coming-of-age story of Lu. By taking care of her young brother, she’s brought of out of her narrow-mindedness. She realizes how backwards her priorities are in life. Through all the family relationship changes, Lu comes to understand parenting, have empathy for her parents, and heal old family wounds. It also explores cultural difference, how eastern culture and western culture value family differently. “Anchor Baby” is a stirring and heartfelt family drama with a tone similar to Little Miss Sunshine, Rain man and he Kids Are Alright.