My Summer Lair Chapter #252: How Do You Fit In When You Don’t Belong?
For this episode welcome writer and director Anthony Shim and actor Ethan Hwang, stars of the emotionally devastating film Riceboy Sleeps.
Riceboy Sleeps is a poignant and heart-wrenching exploration of the trauma of immigrating to a new country, following the story of So-young and her son Dong-hyun as they navigate the challenges of relocating to Canada in the 1990s. As they fight for acceptance and respect (dignity, yo!), Dong-hyun faces brutal bullying at school despite adopting a white name (David), while So-young endures a difficult lonely job rife with the racist and sexist comments of her colleagues…all for a better life here.
This time it’s Korean though it could be any culture. There’s the classic scene of the stinky ethnic lunch at school when all the other students have peanut butter and jam sandwiches. There’s the hard ethnic name to pronounce, especially for white people. There’s the weary single mom who sadly has limited options contending almost daily with frustration and isolation.
It all aches.
All of this and more is happening in Riceboy Sleeps, a tender reflection on the struggles and stress of immigration.
As the director Anthony Shim lets the camera linger in many scenes giving the movie an observational feel and a deep engagement with the characters. It feels like you’re watching sports, only the team is a single mom and her son who are pushing through setbacks. And it can be difficult to watch or manufacture hope. You can relate even if you were born here.
Here’s my conversation with Anthony and Ethan where we cover many of the heartbreaking yet remarkable moments in Riceboy Sleeps. Join us as we explore the inspirations and challenges behind this powerful film…with its resonant themes of immigration, trauma, and hope that underpin this classic Canadian story.
Though before we touch upon those elements, we got to start with something fun: what is your favorite Korean food?
Riceboy Sleeps @ W • T • F
Host Sammy Younan
Recorded: Monday, March 13, 2023 at 12:20 pm
Stress free pop culture tastefully harvested for your divine delight. Once a week a carefully curated edition of My Pal Sammy goes directly to your inbox. Sign up for my newsletter so we can have some fun…like going out for Korean BBQ!
