Red String Theory

Rooney Gao believes in the red string of fate, a Chinese legend that says each person is fated to have one soulmate, tethered together by red string. Her artwork is comprised of red string from small portraits to large installations. Then Rooney meets straightlaced Jack Liu, visiting New York City from Los Angeles, when they are paired for the Lunar New Year lantern celebration. Together, they chase their lantern as it floats throughout the city. Rooney believes that Jack might be her soulmate, and while Jack firmly rejects the notion of fate, the night is so magical he shares his phone number with Rooney. After Jack leaves, Rooney realizes she has the wrong number, and each is lost to the other. But fate intervenes when Rooney is hired as a visiting artist, with Jack as her liaison, but it’s difficult to keep a professional distance when both want nothing more than to get back the magic of being together like they were on the Lunar New Year.