Hiya peeps,

I've been writing longer blog entries over at

www.yearofthecarnivore.blogspot.com

check it out mang!

xo

Sook-Yin

Hi Friends,

The premiere screening of my movie, YEAR OF THE CARNIVORE is SOLD OUT, but you have one more opportunity to see it at the Toronto International Film festival:

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12 at the Scotiabank Theatre 1: 259 Richmond Street West at 12:15PM.

buy tickets online:

www.tiff.net/boxoffice

and check out the website:

www.yearofthecarnivore.com


I hope to see you there.

xo
sook-yin

Hi, I'm back!

Sook-Yin here with some good news to share with you.

My first feature movie I wrote and directed, YEAR OF THE CARNIVORE, is premiering on opening night at the Toronto International Film Festival 2009 Thursday September 10 at 7:30PM at the Varsity 8. There is a second public screening on Saturday September 12th at 12:15PM at Scotiabank Theatre 1 and a press and industry screening Friday September 11th at 2:00PM at Cumberland 1. YOTC is coming to theatres across Canada in 2010.

YEAR OF THE CARNIVORE is the year Sammy Smalls takes a bite out of life and has her heart bitten. It's the story about a girl who's in love with a boy who thinks she's bad in bed so she goes out to get more "experience". It stars Cristin Milioti, Mark Rendall, Will Sasso, Sheila McCarthy, Kevin McDonald, Ali Liebert and Linda Uyehara Hoffman.

I collaborated on the original score with my pals Buck 65 and Adam Litovitz. The soundtrack features songs by Betty Davis, Shugo Tokumaru, The Walkmen, Yegor Letov, Modern Creatures, Aidan Baker, Prince Nifty and more awesome American, Canadian and Russian independent music.

We're aiming to launch the official website by August 24th www.yearofthecarnivore.com

I'm so happy to share YOTC with the world. I hope you see it.

LOVE!

Sook-Yin

TORONTO STORIES is a movie I collaborated on with three filmmakers, Aaron Woodley, David Weaver and Sudz Sutherland. We each wrote and directed a chapter in the feature movie. The unfolding stories occur the same day in Toronto when a boy goes missing. My chapter is, "The Brazilian". I also act in it with my pal, Tygh Runyan. If you live in Toronto, be sure to catch the premier one week run of TORONTO STORIES when it hits the Royal Cinema, 608 College Street, beginning December 12 at 7PM. Here's the Trailer! xo!sook-yin

Okay, now I can reveal who is in the cast of my movie, YEAR OF THE CARNIVORE. Here's our first bit of press that came out today:

Canada's Sook-Yin Lee starts shoot of Year Of The Carnivore
Denis Seguin in Toronto
25 Nov 2008 23:40

Canadian actress Sook-Yin Lee has begun principal photography on her directorial debut Year Of The Carnivore.

The film, which is shooting outside of Vancouver, is co-produced by Vancouver-based Screen Siren Pictures and Toronto-based The Film Farm, producers of Atom Egoyan's Adoration. Screen Siren's Trish Dolman is producer with Kryssta Mills as coproducer alongside Film Farm's Simone Urdl and Jennifer Weiss.

Lee, a popular radio personality in Canada, has built a reputation as a fearless collaborator in sexually provocative material, particularly for her roles in John Cameron Mitchell's films Shortbus and Hedwig And The Angry Inch. The new film, which she also wrote, would seem to be mapping similar terrain.

The off-beat romance follows Sammy (Cristin Milioti), a 21 year-old woman who has an unrequited crush on a scruffy musician, Eugene (Mark Rendall). When they do come together the first encounter is a disaster. Given that her job as a store detective requires her to deliver thieves to her employer so that he can beat them rather than prosecute, Sammy instead blackmails the miscreants into giving her sex lessons. Also featured are Will Sasso, Kevin McDonald and Sheila McCarthy.

The film is backed by Telefilm Canada, E1 Films Canada and British Columbia Film. It will be released in Canada by E1 Films Canada.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Two days on set. Talk about an intense and amazing experience. Me and the crew began Day 1 by stacking our hands on top of one another and making a toast to beauty. Cristin Milioti and Mark Rendall who play Sammy & Eugene capture that for me in spades. Cristin is from NYC. She's mostly done theatre on Broadway so she's a newbie when it comes to film, but good golley, when people discover her, she will knock their socks off until everyone dances barefoot! Her Sammy is so sweet, vulnerable, tough and shy/bold. Mark Rendall is a big heart too. When he sings he sounds like Buddy Holley. Together they make me feel all sorts of good things.

Today Will Sasso arrived on set. He plays gentle giant psycho, Dirk Armstrong, the owner and operator of Big Apple Food Town. There was one point, when I was watching him I was laughing uncontrollably, I accidentally ruined the take.

We are shooting the movie in lovely Maple Ridge, also known as Haney. I have no idea why it has two names. When people shoot films here, they decorate it to look like somewhere else, like Chicago, but we are shooting it as is: Maple Ridge and/or Haney. It has an interesting mix of architecture, lovely beaten down factories next to strip malls and brand new condominiums. It's the far reaches of urban sprawl, possessing a peculiar charm.

When we first arrived we were put up in a motel by the side of the Lougheed highway. Mark, Cristin and I nearly died while crossing through whizzing traffic. My ground floor room smelled of cigarettes and sewage and an ear piercing fire alarm went off twice while I showered. Cristin wouldn't put her groceries on the floor for fear of mice and there was some anxiety over bed bugs. At the risk of sounding like a couple of divas we requested a better place to stay. Now we have been relocated to some nicer digs, conveniently located across the street from where we're shooting tomorrow morning.

Which reminds me, must catch some zzzzzs. Making movies is hard on my mind and body. I felt so stiff standing in the cold outside all day yesterday. I don't know how the crew does it. I think your body must acclimatize to this lifestyle, and for me, it's not even Day 3!

conk. good night.

sook-yin

Guess what? I'm making my movie! Starting Monday November 24, 2008,  I'm shooting my first feature film, YEAR OF THE CARNIVORE, in lovely Maple Ridge, B.C. The money's been raised, the stars are cast and now I'm on my way. I'm learning a lot. Normally I make little movies with my friends in our houses, but this is a much larger undertaking, we even have a transportation unit and a preproduction facility with a parking lot attendant who operates a gate!

I can't yet reveal who the actors are until all the leads are confirmed, but I must say, this cast rocks. My crew is top notch too. After years of writing this story, I can't believe it's actually becoming a reality. I'm excited and I'm scared. It's one of the biggest undertakings of my life. I was talking to my best friend Jooj the other night, when he gave me this simple advice: make something beautiful.

So that is what I aim to do.

LOVE,

Sook-Yin

HELLO PALS O' MINE!

I've returned, in one piece!

Many things have happened since I was last here. I went to China for the first time in my life. If you're interested, check out my blog and read about my adventures, like running with wild horses and Mongolian cowboys while soaring across the desert, drunk in a flying saucer MONGOO BOW yurt!

http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/blog/beijing/sookyin_lee/

PLUS, there's on demand video, where you can watch my mini-TV CHINA portraits.

http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/blog/
click ON DEMAND VIDEO

In other news,

I wrote, directed and act in one of the chapters of the feature movie TORONTO STORIES, which premieres at this year's Toronto International Film Festival 2008! My chapter is called, The Brazilian. It's a weird romance about two strangers trying really hard to get comfortable with each other.

If you're at the Toronto Film Festival, be sure to catch the screenings:

Public 1 AMC 6 Tues Sept 9 6:00pm
Public 2 AMC 2 Thur Sept 11 3:30pm

The venue, AMC, stands for American Multi Cinema at Dundas and Yonge Street.

AND IN PARADIGM SHIFTING, LIFE-ALTERING NEWS:

I wrote and will be directing my feature length movie called, YEAR OF THE CARNIVORE. It's a comedy drama, a-coming-of-age-learning-to-love-and-screwing-up-royally-story.  The plan is to shoot it in Vancouver this fall. It's really exciting for me, but I have to admit, making movies is tough stuff. I'm like a fireman. Everyday there's a new blaze to extinguish. But darn it all, if I get the opportunity, I'm gonna do it. Please check back here for updates.

BIG LOVE TO YOU.

x to the o

Sook-Yin

Dearhearts,

Good golley, I have been absent from myspace because my brain, body and soul were hijacked by art.  I need your help!

I hope you can make it out to our function: Saturday Sept. 1st at the Silver Dollar Room, 486 Spadina Avenue, Toronto Ontario.

Starts 10PM. On a bill with Tropics and Huckleberry Friends. $7

SCREEEMERZ

a ghost story written by Sook-Yin Lee & Adam Litovitz

narrated by Louis Negin

improvised music by S.Y. Lee, Adam Litovitz, Mark Roberts and Brandon Cronenberg. Featuring dancer Allison Peacock

SCREEEMERZ is the story of what happens one afternoon when four people collide in the dark in the scariest haunted house in Niagara Falls.

Joseph and his friend Anne work at Screemerz. Their job is to touch customers in the dark and spook them. Mr. G. is a pervert who hides inside the haunted house in order to molest young girls. Debbie is the ugly thirteen-year-old girl he gropes.

          

Hey Friendilinos!

I'm really excited because I'm performing for the first time in AGES with a swell group of musicians. I hope you can make it out to see us play!

Take good care,

Sook-Yin

Saturday July 21st 8PM
Harbourfront Centre Outdoor Concert Stage
235 Queens Quay West
Toronto
Free

DOCUMENTARY
featuring Sook-Yin Lee (voice, guitar), Adam Litovitz (guitar, keys), Anne Bourne (cello), Kathleen Kajioka (violin), Joseph Shabason (flute, clarinet, sax), Jeremy Finkelstein (drums) and Brandon Cronenberg (didgeridoo, bass)

The DOCUMENTARY set is divided in two sections. The first is made up of new original songs by Sook-Yin Lee.  The second is a series of "acoustic documentaries.". The musicians improvise and create spontaneous scores to live actions on stage that are decidedly non-musical and non-performative. In the past, Sook-Yin has conducted orchestras featuring basketball solos and a knitting section. This is an extension of the idea. DOCUMENTARY explores the intersection of music, sports and work.

DOCUMENTARY opens for double violin assault specialists CHI2 http://www.lizchiyen.plus.com/

Related websites:

http://www.myspace.com/sookyinlee
http://kathleenkajioka.com/bio.html
http://www.myspace.com/nononodynamics
http://www.deeplistening.org/DLArtists/bourne/bourne.html
http://myspace.com/thejewishlegend
http://www.myspace.com/problem69
http://www.myspace.com/bloodceremony