Hey, everybody! It is time, once again, to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Derek Nguyen.
Who are you?
I'm a guy who wants to do good things for the world.
What are you?
I'm Vietnamese American. I'm gay. I'm male. I'm an immigrant. I'm a filmmaker. I'm an optimist at heart and a cynic in the head. I also have a gothy side to me too.
Where are you?
I have been living in Brooklyn for the past 20 years with my husband and two cats. A few years ago, I lived in Saigon for a year and a half to make my film The Housemaid, which was a life-changing experience for me. I'm in a good place.
Where are you from?
I was born in Saigon, raised in Orange County CA, and grew up in Los Angeles. But I have been told that I'm definitely now a New Yorker!
What do you do?
I make films and write plays. I just wrote and directed a gothic romance/horror film called The Housemaid, which was shot in Vietnam and is getting its U.S. theatrical release starting February 16! I work at Gamechanger Films, a film fund that finances narrative feature films directed by women. I'm also a consultant for the Tribeca Film Institute, helping young people learn more about making their stories heard through filmmaking. I'm also executive producing the American remake of The Housemaid, which will be penned by Oscar-winner Geoffrey Fletcher and producing other projects at the moment.
What are you all about?
I'm about love and justice. I think my film The Housemaid kind of sums me up. It’s a moody love story with both Asian and Western aesthetics. It's horrific and examines the injustices in the world (particularly in Vietnam during French colonialization). It has a strong sexuality to it, has a dark humor, and can be surprising in the end.
What makes you angry?
Nowadays, the political direction of the world gets me very angry. It's disheartening to see such animosity between nations and people from diverse backgrounds. I also get angry when the NY Giants have a bad season.
