Shanghai Kiss (Romantic Comedy / Completed)

An out-of-work Chinese American actor involved with a high school girl learns that he has inherited his grandmother's home in Shanghai, China. He moves to the exotic city to connect with his ancestry and start a new life, but must leave behind the only girl who has ever loved him.

Liam (Ken Leung) is a struggling actor wasting his time picking up on beautiful, plastic girls in hip Hollywood bars with his buddy, Joe (Joel David Moore), a writer who hasn't written a damn thing. The closest thing to an emotional connection in Liam's life is a flirtatious friendship with 16 year old Adelaide (Hayden Panettiere), a precocious high school girl who is actually more mature than Liam.

When Liam learns he has inherited his grandmother's home in Shanghai, China, he travels to the bright and beautiful city and discovers a profound connection to his family legacy. Liam meets a sophisticated Chinese woman named Micki (Kelly Hu) and finds himself falling into instant infatuation with her. Liam decides to move to China, leaving behind Adelaide who is quite possibly the only girl who has ever loved him, but running away from his problems only lands him in deeper trouble.

Cast: Ken Leung, Hayden Panettiere, Kelly Hu, Joel Moore, Oliver Yan, James Hong, Byron Mann, Spencer Redford, Summer Altice, Timothy Bottoms, Kathleen Lancaster (Credits may not be contractual)

Directors: David Ren, Kern Konwiser

Writer: David Ren

Producer: Kip Konwiser

Executive Producers: Michael Gleissner, Joan Yang

Production Companies: Bigfoot Entertainment / Konwiser Brothers

Newport Beach Film Festival (2007):

- Feature Film Award, Acting (Hayden Panettiere)

San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (2007):

- Breakout Performance (Ken Leung)

James Berardinelli, Reel Views:

"For David Ren, this is obviously a personal story, emphasizing the rule that first-time filmmakers are at their best when they craft something from the heart. The screenplay is tightly written and avoids common missteps - there are no artificial romantic complications and no awkward scenes in which individuals step out of character just to get a laugh. There are many keenly observed small scenes: Liam's friend (Joel Moore) getting shot down after working up the courage to approach a woman, Liam hiding his tears after sex, and his subtle rejection of Adelaide's attempts at intimate contact (he will not allow her to kiss him on the lips). Shanghai is beautifully photographed, capturing not only its brightness but its restless energy. New York isn't the only city that never sleeps."

Jen Johans, Film Intuition:

"Before she became the cheerleader to be saved in order to save the world in TV's "Heroes", teen actress Hayden Panettiere shot the role in Shanghai that later earned her an award for Best Actress in a Feature Film from the 2007 Newport Beach Film Festival."

"Leung makes the most of a difficult role with a character who uses humor to disguise his every emotion, coming off as a callous creep at times and a wounded soul in others in a fully realized portrayal which also earned him a Special Mention for his Breakout Performance from the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival where the film premiered."

"...the poster of the film which features Panattiere should instantly attract fans of "Heroes" but don't let the youth-appeal of the box fool you - it's a film that plays best to adults (especially the twenty or thirty-something crowd) rather than teenagers thanks to the intellectual script of David Ren."

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