Sony Pictures Classics has acquired worldwide rights to “Shortcomings,” Randall Park’s feature directorial debut, the company announced on Tuesday.
“Shortcomings” stars Justin H. Min (“After Yang”), Sherry Cola (“Joy Ride,” “Good Trouble”), and Ally Maki (“Big Door Prize”), and features Tavi Gevinson (“Gossip Girl”), Debby Ryan (“Insatiable”), Sonoya Mizuno (“House of the Dragon”), Timothy Simons (“Veep”), and Jacob Batalon (“Reginald The Vampire”).
The film, which received acclaim upon its world premiere in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, is based on Eisner-winning cartoonist Adrian Tomine’s classic graphic novel of the same name, a landmark of Asian American fiction and a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Tomine, a frequent contributor to The New Yorker, also adapted the script and executive produced.
In the film, Ben (Min), a struggling filmmaker, lives in Berkeley, California, with his girlfriend, Miko (Maki), who works for a local Asian American film festival. When he’s not managing an arthouse movie theater as his day job, Ben spends his time obsessing over unavailable blonde women, watching Criterion Collection DVDs, and eating in diners with his best friend Alice (Cola), a queer grad student with a serial dating habit. When Miko moves to New York for an internship, Ben is left to his own devices, and begins to explore what he thinks he might want.
Sony Pictures Classics said, “Randall Park’s ‘Shortcomings’ is as relevant today as when Adrian Tomine’s book was first published almost 20 years ago. Its modern ideas about racial and sexual politics, its caustic humor, and authentic voice will resonate with today’s moviegoing audience. It will be our privilege to work with Randall and our friends at Topic Studios, Tango, Imminent Collision, Picture Films, and Roadside to bring this story to audiences everywhere.”
“The thought of ‘Shortcomings’ playing on a big screen and opening with that iconic Sony Pictures Classics logo thrills me to no end,” Park added. “To be a part of their rich legacy of independent
filmmaking is a real honor. Thank you to Michael and Tom for embracing our story about flawed, complex human beings, who happen to be Asian American, just trying their best. Please do not change your logo anytime soon.”
“Shortcomings” is produced by Hieu Ho, Randall Park, and Michael Golamco for Imminent Collision; Margot Hand for Picture Films; and Howard Cohen, Eric d’Arbeloff, and Jennifer Berman for Roadside Attractions. Executive producers are Ryan Heller, Michael Bloom, Jennifer Semler, and Maria Zuckerman for Topic Studios; Tim Headington, Lia Buman, Max Silva and Neil Shah for Tango; Ryan Paine, also for Roadside Attractions, and Daniel Hank.
Brokered by UTA Independent Film Group and WME Independent.
