Emmy® For Your Consideration: Outstanding Television Movie
Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
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CANADA, USA | 2023 | Comedy | UHD 4K
Directed by Quentin Lee. Written by Dennis Escobedo. Produced by Quentin Lee (p.g.a.), Kit DeZolt, Kevin Huie and Harrison Xu. Executive Producers: Chris Lee, Aaron Shershow. Starring Harrison Xu, Natasha Tina Liu, Matthew Mitchell Espinosa, Dru Perez and Aaron Guest.
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SYNOPSIS
Nathan Lee (Harrison Xu), a Chinese American teenager, finds out that he has brain cancer right before he turns 18 and vows to live the remains of his life with passion… and refuses to die a virgin.
Knowing that his gay best friend, Dash (Matthew Mitchell Espinosa), wants to become a filmmaker, Nathan offers himself as a documentary subject to Dash, who is also in love with Nathan. Nathan and Dash decide to document as much of his remaining life as possible.
Without reservation, Nathan experiments sexually and falls in love with Lorelei (Natasha Tina Liu), another high school friend. As Nathan realizes he cannot reciprocate Dash’s true love, he decides to marry Dash, a Dreamer Immigrant, and gifts him American citizenship.
THEATRICALS
October 20 — 26, 2023: One Week Exclusive US Premiere Theatrical Engagement at Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles
Friday October 20 post 7-pm show Q&A will be hosted by Director Justin Lin (Fast 9, Star Trek Beyond) and Saturday October 21 post 7-pm show Q&A will be hosted by Sundance winning and Oscar nominated director Arthur Dong.
October 13 — 19, 2023: One Week Exclusive Canadian Premiere Theatrical Engagement at Imagine Cinema’s Carlton CInema in Toronto
September 15 & 17, 2023: International Premiere at Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
May 14, 2023: World Premiere at San Francisco’s CAAMFest
PRESS
LAST SUMMER OF NATHAN LEE catapults viewers into a whirlwind of emotions, brilliantly juxtaposing the exuberance of youth against the sad reality of mortality. Director/Co-Writer Quentin Lee weaves this poignant tale with a skill that avoids cliches, demanding audience engagement from the get-go and promising a tragically beautiful and resonantly hopeful journey. With a few minor hurdles in the road, the film still shines triumphantly as a story of one’s worth.
Chris Jones, Overly Honest Movie Review
Making a tender-hearted film about teenagers who haven’t yet figured out what they want to accomplish before they die is bracing in its quiet and kind contemplation of life. Everyone will come to their own conclusion, and make their own decisions, of course. Last Summer of Nathan Lee offers no definitive answers, while creating a joyful, loving, and accepting environment to consider the rest of your life, however long (or short) that might be.
It would be a disservice to Last Summer of Nathan Lee to simply place it in the LGBTQ+ genre. It’s a teen drama with characters that are straight, gay, and somewhere in between. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re open-minded, this teen drama is worth checking out.
This is perhaps because LAST SUMMER OF NATHAN LEE offers a vision of the future, in the hands of optimistic youth, that is much more hopeful than many films would have us believe is possible.
Richard Alaniz, KPFK Film Club
Directed by Hong Kong-born Canadian-American Quentin Lee, this movie is giving The Fault in Our Stars, but better. Highschooler Nathan Lee gets diagnosed with terminal brain cancer before he even turns 18. Wanting to experience the remainder of his life to the fullest, he marries his gay best friend Dash and freely experiments with love and sexuality.
Tatum Ancheta & Catharina Cheung, TimeOut
What sets “Last Summer of Nathan Lee” apart is its sincere portrayal, a rarity in many coming-of-age films that often fall into clichés or feel disconnected from reality. Its fresh take is achieved through the confidence Lee places in his cast, the freedom to infuse their own values into their performances and mold their characters to life.
Think “Porky’s” meets “The Breakfast Club.”
Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
The younger set shouldn’t miss director Quentin Lee’s observant, funny/sad YA entry. …Lee and co-screenwriter Dennis Escobedo have a real gift at expressing how today’s teens talk and act, and how they are more sexually fluid.
Last Summer of Nathan Lee brings the sexy into Asian Am filmmaking
Director Lee has taken a serious storyline about terminal illness and managed to make it palatable, often light-hearted, viewing. He keeps the script frothy which reflects how many 18-year-olds think and talk. This lightness means the film is more likely to appeal to younger audiences. This is also a tale of friendship and, in particular, those deep friendships we have in our youth. It’s an inspiring, sunlit story about dealing with an end-of-life prognosis.
Inspired by a real life incident from Lee’s high school years, the film follows the titular Nathan Lee, a teenager who finds out that he has brain cancer just before he turns 18, vows to live the remains of his life with passion and refuses to die a virgin.