Interview with cast and creators of Rosemead, a film based on true events and a reflection on mental health in the Asian American community
Rosemead: a community within Southern California’s San Gabriel Valley, home to just over 51,000 residents in 2020, with over 60% of residents identifying as Asian. Home also to the Hang family, whose story made headlines in 2017.
Inspired by journalist Frank Shyong’s Los Angeles Times article on the real-life Hang family tragedy, Rosemead the film stars Lucy Liu in a devastating performance as a terminally ill Chinese immigrant widow grappling alone with her teenage son’s (Lawrence Shou) schizophrenia and growing obsession with mass violence cases in the U.S.. In a community where mental illness is rarely discussed and often left unsupported, her son’s condition worsens while she’s pushed toward an increasingly isolating, desperate—and, ultimately, divisive—decision.
Directed by Eric Lin, Rosemead made its world premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. We spoke with Lin and cast members Lucy Liu, Lawrence Shou, and Madison Hu at the premiere and heard more from producers Mynette Louie and Andrew D. Corkin on the film during a post-screening Q&A.
“The way a lot of people heard about this story was just the headline…writing the film was like an emotional detective story,” shares Lin.
“We understood the act. We understood what happened. We had the facts of the case. But we knew that the reason she did this was out of love. So we had to ask—what did she experience? What state was she in?” These questions sit at the heart of Rosemead, shares Eric Lin.
At a tight 97 minutes, the film is as brisk and biting as the article that inspired it, putting us directly into the headspace of Lucy Liu’s Irene.
Watch clips from our interviews from Tribeca Film Festival and continue reading below.
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