Keys of Pride

Production Company
Independent
Producer(s)
Annie Lo, Shalina Saleira
Director(s)
Annie Lo
Casting Director(s): 
Annie Lo, Shalina Saleira
Union Status
Non-Union
Project Type
Film
Student Production
No
Compensation Details

Volunteer. Actors will receive edited footage for demo reels, behind-the-scenes photos, meals on set, and IMDb credit.

Audition Date(s)
October 29-November 4, 2026
Audition Location
Self-Tape
Shoot / Performance Date(s)
November 27-30, 2026
Shoot / Performance Location(s)
Vancouver / Richmond
Submission Deadline
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Submission Instructions

Please submit your headshot, acting resume, and demo reel (if available) to keysofpride@gmail.com.

Subject line: CHARACTER NAME – FIRSTNAMELASTNAME

Audition sides and further instructions will be provided to shortlisted candidates only.

Project Synopsis
Told through two parallel perspectives, a tiger mom’s push for perfection and her son’s desire for freedom collide, revealing the painful gap between intention and impact, and the tragic cost of misunderstood love.
Additional Information & Safety Protocols: 

The film explores themes of parental expectations, identity, emotional suppression, family relationships, and the consequences of misunderstood love.

Content warning: The project includes themes of suicide (depicted through an implied scene; no explicit act is shown) and drug use/addiction as a coping mechanism for stress. No hard drugs or graphic drug-use sequences are involved.

Character 1
QIN
Age
35-50
Gender
Female
Description
Ethnicity: East Asian (Chinese). Must be fluent in spoken Mandarin Chinese. A devoted but overbearing mother with a strong Tiger Mom mentality. Firm in her beliefs and high expectations, she genuinely believes her strict parenting, sacrifices, and decisions are what's best for her son's future, even when her intentions come at an emotional cost.
Character 2
JULIAN
Age
15-18 (Actors 18+ welcome)
Gender
Male
Description
Ethnicity: East Asian (Chinese). Must be fluent in spoken Mandarin Chinese. Ability to play piano is a plus. A sensitive, introspective teenager struggling to discover who he is and what he truly wants while living under the weight of his mother's high expectations. Torn between fulfilling the future envisioned for him and finding his own identity, he silently battles the emotional toll of years of pressure. [ACTING REQUIREMENTS]: Strong emotional range and the ability to convey complex, suppressed emotions through facial expressions and body language, particularly in scenes with little to no dialogue. The actor must be comfortable communicating internal conflict and emotional vulnerability through subtle, non-verbal performance. [CONTENT WARNING]: The character's storyline involves suicide.
Character 3
YOUNG JULIAN
Age
8-10
Gender
Male
Description
Ethnicity: East Asian (Chinese). Ability to play piano is a plus. A bright, cheerful, and spirited young boy with an infectious youthful energy. Though still full of innocence and curiosity, he is beginning to feel the weight of his mother's overbearing expectations and increasingly rigid rules.
Character 4
ANASTASIA
Age
15-18
Gender
Female
Description
(Actors 18+ welcome) Open to all ethnicities. Julian's girlfriend. A vibrant, confident, and free-spirited girl who brings warmth and light into Julian's life. A little aloof and occasionally oblivious to how her words or actions may come across, she has no ill intentions and genuinely wants the best for him.
Character 5
MRS. DAY
Age
25–50
Gender
Female
Description
Open to all ethnicities. School Counsellor. A compassionate, perceptive, and empathetic school counsellor who provides Julian with a safe, non-judgmental space to express himself. While she genuinely wants what's best for him and quietly disagrees with his mother's approach, she remains professional and tactful, choosing her words carefully rather than openly confronting the mother.