NARRATIVE - Leftover Ladies
Narrative Series
Title: Leftover Ladies
Page Count: 32 pp
Project Status: In Development
Logline
Set in New York City, four Chinese-American women navigate life, career, and romance despite their looming fear of being labeled as “leftover ladies” as they enter their 30s.
Synopsis
“Leftover ladies” is a derogatory term used in China on single women over 30. The story unfolds on the morning of Eileen’s 30th birthday, when her family drops a surprise visit in the middle of her banging her hot roommate Justin. Eileen stuffs Justin in the closet, but her grandma finds him and announces him to be Eileen’s boyfriend in front of her family. Eileen decides to live this lie.
Besides that, Eileen’s life is a mess: Her underaged brother wants to move to New York to pursue acting and needs her guardianship; She works at a cafe to pay the bills, but she is a terrible barista and the job is affecting her study; Worse, her ex runs into her at the cafe and she finds that she’s still not over him.
We then meet the other ladies at Stacie’s penthouse apartment, where they chill in the rooftop pool and chit-chat about their love and sex lives (or a lack thereof). Utterly shocked by Annie’s surprising arrival and transformation after being out of the US for two years, Eileen finds herself overwhelmed with envy.
As we catch a glimpse of Maya’s budding romance with a fellow nerd, and Stacie’s first attempt at dating a woman, Eileen gets fired from her cafe job. Her and Annie’s relationship evolves in a different direction, when Annie offers her a job and she accepts it.
Team
Written by: Yiqing Zhao
Seeking
Production company/producing partners/network
Contact
Yiqing Zhao
yiqingzhao1222@gmail.com