The game leads him into the secret labyrinths of the Chinese immigrant community on the island and into a mad and erotic adventure. He begins a voyage for which no maps exist. The need he dares to feel crashes on the rocks of a stormy sea of ancient bonds, lesbian relationships and ambitions. When the young Chinese girl comes to say goodbye, she realizes the depth of her love for him they understands that the biggest act of love is that of letting her go.
A unique Puerto Rican film set in San Juan’s Santurce… a beautiful old neighborhood, the center of a cultural revival. A love story between a lonely professor and frustrated novelist, and a young Chinese woman, an aspiring artist. She is part of the Chinese restaurant community and an “indentured slave.”
A love story in the tradition of “Cortazar” of anonymous messages involving art and literature. The professor begins to receive mysterious messages that awaken his curiosity. Who is going to such lengths to get his attention and why? Is it a man or a woman? He plays ball. The game ends in mad and erotic love. Her Chinese family cannot find out. In the process he enters the secretive life of the immigrant Chinese of San Juan. Then as suddenly as she appears, she disappears, and our professor is left at a loss and empty. He tries to communicate with her. She does not answer any message, as creative and fun and original as they may be. He even dares to go to her Chinese uncles and her restaurant. It is one of his intellectual buddies that finally opens a door to his seeing her again.
What he finds out is shocking and devastating. The love and need he had allowed himself to feel crashes on the rocks amidst the forces of the currents of a stormy sea of ancient bonds, lesbian relationships and ambitions that throws the professor/writer back to finding consolations in the streets and the art of his neighborhood. However, he has now found himself and has lived a passion he had only dreamed of. She tries to see him once more to say goodbye. It is only then that she realizes the depth of her love for him and understands that the biggest act of love is that he is letting her go.
Simone Cast
Simone Film Cast The principal actors of the picture are Esai Morales, the quintessential star of “La Bamba”, “NYPD”, “Resurrection Blvd”, “Mi Familia” and most recently, the Netflix original series “Ozark”, and the Chinese actress, Kunjue Li, is known for BBC's Peaky Blinders, One Child, Ancient Assassins, The Return of Jack the Ripper and My Best Friend's Wedding. She is the second female lead in the highly anticipated film TIGER TAIL. and can be seen in THE LAUNDROMAT, alongside Meryl Streep. Her film THE FUNERAL is the 3rd hottest film on the Chinese Netflix.
THE PRODUCTION TEAM
filmmakers
The production team consists of the most professional and experienced talent on the island, most of whom have worked with the director, Betty Kaplan, on other projects. Producer Peter Rawley, was the former Head of the International Division at ICM. Producer Frances Lausell has over 20 years of experience producing for clients such as NBC, Lifetime, Discover Channel, Sony as well as other international producers. Executive Producer attorney Antonio J. Sifre (The Sifre Group) will provide legal and financial advisory. He has more than 20 years of experience in a wide variety of corporate transactions, including commercial lending, workouts, mergers and acquisitions, real estate sales and acquisitions, venture capital, and film production and financing, including film tax credit sales.
Peter Rawley
PRODUCER
Frances Lausell
PRODUCER
Sonnel Velázquez
CINEMATOGRAPHER
NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR: I fell in love with Puerto Rico after I made a movie here several years ago.
Betty Kaplan
After moving to San Juan, I wanted to make a movie that reflected this love. Then I saw an article in the local newspaper about this novel that won the Romulo Gallegos Prize, the most prestigious literary award in Latin America. I left word at a Radio Station where the author, Eduardo Lalo was being interviewed. Adapting the book was a challenge… as it was not your straight up story. It was poetry, intellectual and at the same time very erotic. It told the story of the invisible people on the island of dysfunctional and talented people and a love story that nurtured its protagonists despite its outcome. We fought hard to make it. We had to use our savings to shoot one day in December 2018 to save our tax incentive. In January 2019 we restarted only to have to stop because our Cooperative that was financing the tax incentive and equity found out they could not invest equity legally. When we restarted finally with new investors in 2020, we were shut down by COVID-19 19 in March. After a solid struggle, we were only the second film in the US to be authorized to restart. We finally finished in the summer. We edited it via zoom and face time. Despite all of this, I believe this film was blessed.
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