Michael Almereyda
Visiting Filmmaker
Richard Wong
Visiting Filmmaker
Richard Wong, the San Francisco-based director, cinematographer and editor of "Come as You Are” answers questions during an interview in his home on Friday, January 10, 2020 in San Francisco, Calif.
Profile
Richard Wong’s most recent feature, COME AS YOU ARE, premiered in March at SXSW and is a remake of the 2011 Belgian film HASTA LA VISTA. In both pics, three young men with disabilities take a road trip to a brothel that concentrates on clients with special needs. The trio in the new movie is played by Grant Rosenmeyer (THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS), Hayden Szeto (THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN) and Ravi Patel (MASTER OF NONE), who are able-bodied, while Gabourey Sidibe also stars as the jaded nurse who drives them.
Wong’s directorial feature was 2006’s COLMA: THE MUSICAL, on which he also served as story writer, cinematographer, editor, producer, and sound designer. For his efforts, he was nominated as “Someone to Watch” at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Wong went on to receive awards and citations at the San Francisco Film Critics Circle, San Diego Asian Film Festival, San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.