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Sook-Yin Lee



Last Updated: 4/24/2009

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Status: Single
City: Toronto
State: Ontario
Country: CA
Signup Date: 10/10/2006

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Sunday, December 07, 2008 
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
2:03 AM 
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Wednesday, November 26, 2008 
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
1:44 PM 
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Sunday, November 23, 2008 
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




2:55 PM 
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Saturday, August 16, 2008 
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
7:24 PM 
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Thursday, October 18, 2007 

Dearhearts,

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

Sook-Yin Lee here. For my latest project, I'm making a low-budget Canadian indie movie!  Woohoo!  My film within a film is called THE BRAZILIAN and it's a strange and very awkward love story. What I need is an audience for a concert scene filming at the Silver Dollar Room  in Toronto next Thursday Oct. 25 from 7PM till 8:30PM.  You can arrive ten minutes early if you feel like it, but whatever you do, DON'T ARRIVE LATE!!! (Cause the set might be locked up.)
 
It's going to be fun, plus you'll get to see an amazing mystery band perform. Come by yourself, or you can also bring your sweetheart, or at least someone you wouldn't mind slow dancing with.  People into public displays of affection are welcome!  (Don't worry, this isn't "Shortbus 2".)  People opposed to public displays of affection are also welcome! Everyone's welcome!
 
Please forward this email to anyone you think would be interested in taking part in a weird and wonderful hour and a half art experience.  So again, here's the info:
 
Be part of the audience in my movie and come to:
 
THE SILVER DOLLAR ROOM:  486 Spadina Avenue (at College), TORONTO, Ontario, Canada
Thursday October, 25th
7PM-8:30 PM  (no late arrivals!)
 
Please RSVP
 
Merci.
 
I am forever indebted to you.
 
xo
sook-yin
12:35 AM 
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Thursday, August 16, 2007 

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.

          

5:12 PM 
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Sunday, May 27, 2007 

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

1:15 PM 
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Wednesday, March 14, 2007 

This week on my radio show, Definitely Not the Opera, we're faking it all over the place cause faking is fun and easy! My first forays into faking it were early on when I forced all the kids in the neighborhood to watch my elaborate performances on the jungle gym in my backyard. One time, I got everyone to close their eyes. I took my fake Hawaiian guitar out of its fake case. A hush fell over the crowd as I played them a song. It went something like this:

(SY plays a fake "hawaiian guitar" solo with her nose.)

I must have been a good faker because they believed me, and they were impressed.

The truth is, I really wanted to play the guitar but I was too lazy to learn how. I used to walk around my neighborhood carrying an empty guitar case hoping people would see me and think I was an accomplished musician. I even enrolled in acoustic guitar lessons. A lady up the street who I babysat for, Mrs. Cork, also wanted to learn how to play guitar, so we signed up together. Every week, Mrs. Cork would drive me to guitar class. The problem was our teacher turned out to be a real dud. He was a mouth breather in plaid polyester pants, without an ounce of passion or charisma, and worst of all he taught us really boring songs. After awhile me and Mrs. Cork started skipping guitar class. It was our secret, we never told anyone. Mrs. Cork still picked me up from home and we pretended to go to class together, when really, we'd go to a cafe and talk instead. She'd drink coffee, I'd drink hot chocolate. Mrs. Cork was a babe. She was blonde and beautiful, and drove all the Dads crazy at our summer block parties. Her marriage was on the rocks, so our conversation usually consisted of her crying about her troubles at home with her husband and kids. That's how I learned about the fascinating world of adults. I was the twelve-year-old confidante to a full grown woman. It was an honor. I remember our secret meetings fondly and know they would never have happened had it not been for us faking.

***************************************************************************************

Listen to Definitely Not the Opera this Saturday, March 17 at 1PM on the mighty CBC Radio 1 in Canada and on Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 137 in America.  Free podcasts: www.cbc.ca/dnto or streaming off your computer:  www.cbc.ca

xo!  Sook-Yin Lee

1:32 PM 
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Sunday, January 14, 2007 

Happy new year M-friends, it's a good one!

The reason why I've been missing in action is, I xscaped xmas and headed to Florida where John Mitchell and I transformed into a retired Florida couple. He's like my gay husband I never had sex with, which is basically what eventually happens to most couples, regardless of orientation. We went to yoga classes, got facials, swam at the beach, read, wrote and watched tons of movies.

In the last few weeks I was possessed to write a screenplay. Like the fairytale, The Red Shoes, where the girl puts on a pair of magic shoes and cannot stop dancing, (actually, she dies dancing!), whenever I sat at the computer, my fingers would start typing. In a few weeks the story wrote itself.  So that is where I've been, lost in my imagination, again.

This week I was invited to make another movie for a feature film. The working title is TORONTO STORIES.  Four up-and-coming Canadian filmmakers contribute a "chapter", each an independent homage to the city of Toronto, much like New York Stories and Paris Je T'aime. The filmmakers are Aaron Woodley (Rhinoceros Eyes), Sudz Sutherland (Love, Sex and Eating the Bone), David Weaver (Century Hotel), and me!  I'll be writing and acting in my movie plus co-directing with my pal Andrea Dorfman (Love That Boy, Parsley Days). Needless to say, I will be taking more time off blogging to get to writing that script.

So for the time being, I'll leave you with an oldie but goodie in the saga of Sook-Yin:

The Sorenson's lived up the street.  The parents were hippies, the sons headbangers and the youngest daughter, my friend Kristen, ate paint.  One night the Sorenson's house blew up.  The flames shot high above the power lines.  I was angry no one woke me up to watch it burn down.  Everyone in the neighborhood was there except me.

Rewind to the summer before the explosion.  All of us kids were bored out of our skulls so Kristen's brothers decided to have a go-go dancing competition in their basement. They were the judges, and the girls in the neighborhood, Julie, Marna, Kristen, Delha McConnell and me, average age ten, were the go-go dancers. I had never danced in front of anyone before, but man,  I really cut the rug!  I did the maracas, the car-wash, the side-to-side shuffle, and my own mix of moves inspired by birds, swimming, and the Price-is-Right showgirls. The Sorenson brothers must have been impressed because I won the grand prize. They pooled their money together and gave me an envelope of coins. I was very proud of myself. 

On the way home, I ran into my Dad.  He asked me about the envelope of money in my bicycle basket and I told him.  He got really mad and told me never to dance for boys in the basement.  Then he forced me to return to the Sorenson's and give their money back.

When I got to there, my best friend Julie sprinted out of the house.  She said Delha was still inside.  She had made a deal with the brothers she'd take off her undershirt for five bucks. Feeling weird, I pushed the envelope through the mail slot, got on my bike and rode home.

xosook-yin

8:57 PM 
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Saturday, December 09, 2006 

When I was thirteen years old, I was chosen to be part of a Canadian swim team made up of swimmers from across the country.  We competed in Darmstadt, Germany. On the team, there was one boy I instantly fell in love with.  His name was Michael.  He was a freestyle champ from Calgary.  Michael was short with brown bangs cut straight across his forehead, freckles all over, and sweet and cute to the extreme.  Anyway, I mooned over Michael from afar the whole time we were in Germany, but I could never tell him because I was too scared.

 

When the swim meet ended, all of us returned to Canada and went our separate ways.  I was alone on a plane back to Vancouver when I finally got the courage to write Michael a love letter on old Air Canada stationary.  Before I left the airport, I forced myself to drop my secret love confession in the mail.

 

Half a year later, I was swimming in another meet in my hometown.  To my surprise, who did I come across?  There was my not-so-secret crush, Michael, walking towards me in slow motion on the deck of the pool.  He was smiling and waving, trying to get my attention.  Suddenly I was overcome by the terror of meeting him face to face, knowing full well he knew my intimate feelings for him.  I wish I could say I threw caution to the wind and ran into his arms in a loving embrace, or at least a clumsy teenage grope.  I wish I could, but I can't.  As Michael walked towards me,  I turned around and ran as fast as I could in the opposite direction.  

 

To this day I wonder what he must've thought of that crazy Asian chick with a perm who confessed her secret love only to kibosh the whole affair before it had a chance to begin.

9:35 PM 
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